|
|
If you are like many of our clients, February was
a "hard" month. Bio-thythms, detoxifications, natural
seasonal cleansing, and moods/emotions were
slightly off cycle. Thank goodness Spring is around
the corner and life should get back on track.
We placed a reference to a free give away item
somewhere in the text of the newsletter. If you find it,
tell us what article it was in and pick up your free item
the next time you are in the office.
Enjoy this month's newsletter!
 |
|
|
|
|
Clean Your Pantry
Changing Habits Changing Lives
This month’s feature
I know your
freezer
and refrigerators are “cleaned out” if you live in St.
Louis. The ice storms took care of that, didn’t they?
So
while it is winter, cold, dark and life is a little slower,
let’s use this time to sort through your pantry and
take positive action. Clean your pantry of processed
foods, white sugars, and flours.
Why? In simple terms, your body cannot deal with all
of
the additives in our diets today. If your body is not
detoxifying all of the additives that you put in your
body, it will wrap the toxins in fat or layer the toxins
in mucus.
Are you:
- Over weight?
- Thin with cellulite?
- Stuffy with nasal drainage?
- Having Allergies and sinus complaints?
- Tired with low energy?
Be ruthless!
- Get rid of all foods that have no nutritional value.
- If it is processed, in the trash it goes. Processed
means not a “whole food”. Did your food walk, grow,
swim, or fly? Always choose foods that have the
fewest number of ingredients and in its most natural
state.
- If it is white, it is most likely a toxin to your
system (white pasta, white flour, white sugar, white
iodized salt).
“Most people put better fuel in their cars than
they
do into their bodies” says Cyndi O’Meara author
of
Changing Habits, Changing Lives. She
continues to
say, “More and more frequently direct correlations
are being made between our diets and many
modern-day aliments. Most people in the 35 to 45
age group who have had diets heavy in refined foods
will find themselves with one or more of these
ailments:
- Headaches
- Chronic infections
- Eating disorders
- Varicose veins
- Hemorrhoids
- Indigestion
- Stomach upsets
- Bad circulation
- Depression
- Exhaustion
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
After years of a refined food diet, you believe
that
the way you feel is normal. But once you’ve made
the switch to whole foods, you’ll have so much vigor
and energy you’ll wonder how you ever got by
before!”
Cleaning your pantry is the place to start. You
will feel better! If you need additional help in
dealing with the cravings, withdrawal, emotional
eating issues, or are interested in assisting your body
to repair, reinoculate, rebuild, and repair, the “4 R
Program”, call us for a Functional Medicine
Consultation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 Little Changes
Follow Up by Debbie Haikal, RN
One of our articles in the January Newsletter
challenged you to make 3 Little Changes a Month. At
the end of a month, you could decide if they
were “keepers” or not for you. Here are a few of the
lifestyle changes that some of our readers tried in
January and their comments.
- Boxing, a new sport. FUN. A change up for my
winter workout, but not forever.
- NO computer games in the morning with coffee. I
have more time (I would lose track of time) and I
ended up drinking less coffee.
Yeah!
- Letting go of friends that do not add positive spin
to your life. I do not miss their problems or negative
energies one bit. I should have done this a long time
ago.
- Yoga, 15 minutes 5-6 days a week. I may branch
out and try a class. I am sleeping better.
- No ice cream. Now I am having ice cream one day
a week. I missed it.
- Exercising first thing in the morning (5 days at
530am). Some days are hard, but I feel better. Going
to bed early was an adjustment. That will be hard in
the summer, but it works this winter.
- Learning the Solution Method. I worked with Pat
and ordered the book. So far, so good. Some of the
tools have helped me not to eat my way through the
evenings.
- REALLY listen to my kids, each one, at least once
a day with undivided attention. I stop what I am
doing or sit down for 2 minutes or turn the music off
in the car. It’s a good change that is hard to
remember when we are all so busy.
- I switched to Sea salt. After 2 weeks, I don’t feel
so dehydrated, despite how cold it has been. And
believe it or not, I have less swelling in my feet.
- I gave up TV. Oops. Too big of a challenge for
me; I couldn’t do it. So I purchased Tivo to avoid the
mindless stuff and watch what I want when it does
not interfere with my life.
One of our articles in the January Newsletter
challenged you to make 3 Little Changes a Month. At
the end of a month, you could decide if they
were “keepers” or not for you. Here are a few of the
lifestyle changes that some of our readers tried in
January and their comments.
As for Debbie’s
3 little changes-
- It took me 3 weeks to cut my caffeine in half. It
was harder that I thought, but I decided to
increase my adrenal support and in March I will try to
cut out more.
- I have made it to the end of every spinning class.
Ouch, the last 10 minutes are the hardest.
- As for breathing, I still forget. I have a poster
taped over by computer. This change in habit will be
slow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugar Addiction
Do YOU Have It?
Most of us don’t realize it, but we are drug addicts.
Our drug comes in a pure, white crystal or powder
form. We use it even when we don’t know we’re doing
it. It’s in salad dressing, peanut butter, soup, pickles,
bread, jam, yogurt, canned fruits and vegetables.
We crave it after every meal. On an average, each of
us consumes about 130 pounds of the stuff per year.
Some have reported withdrawal symptoms including
headaches, fatigue, tremors, anxiety and depression.
What is this controversial drug, you ask. It goes by
many names, but the most common is
sugar.
This deliciously sweet substance is also deliciously
devoid of any nutritional value. Sugar passes through
the wall of the stomach so quickly that it causes blood
sugar levels to skyrocket, then plummet just as
rapidly. I’m sure you are familiar with the
feeling.
The problem that arises in coping with sugar
addiction is that sugar is in so many common foods
now, it’s practically impossible to cut it out completely.
You can’t eat a sandwich without getting sugar from
the bread or the mayo. You can’t eat a salad without
getting sugar from the dressing. Be aware that just
because a food stuff is in the grocery store, it’s not
necessarily good for us to eat or is not harmful to our
body. Sugar is used as an almost universal
constituent of processed foods, all with government
approval as long as the package is clearly marked to
indicate the presence of sucrose. This is a classic
example of caveat emptor – let the buyer
beware.
Sugars found in the natural state and
consumed in variety and moderation have all the
cofactors necessary for healthful digestion. Most of us
do not become addicted to fruits and vegetables—we
don’t crave them or crash if we don’t eat them.
Refined sugar, however, has been depleted of its
vitamins, minerals and cannot be metabolized by the
body. It actually drains and leaches the body of
vitamins and minerals.
Sugar addiction is so common in industrialized
Western nations as to be unrecognizable. If you grew
up in a culture where everyone smoked—every single
person from the time a cigarette could be held in the
hand--and practically nothing was said about it, you
would come to accept it as a natural fact of life. Thus it
is with sugar and most of us don’t give it a second
thought.
We are many times told that products are made
from “natural” ingredients so therefore they are good
for us. Even refined sugar is made from natural
ingredients—sugar cane and beets. However, 90% of
the cane and beet are removed and what is left,
chemically resembles little of the original product.
Heroin, too, could be advertised as coming from
natural ingredients. The opium poppy is as natural as
the sugar beet. It’s what man does with it that tells the
story.
The World Health Organization has made
recommendations that sugar (and all its forms such
as sucrose, fructose, dextrose, high fructose corn
syrup, etc.) should account for no more than 10% of a
healthy diet which adds up to approximately 12
teaspoons of sugar based upon a 2000-calorie diet.
At four grams for every teaspoon of sugar, that
equates to only 48 grams of sugar per day. Most of
us, unfortunately, consume 25%-50% of our calories
from sugar so we have much to learn and do if we
want to avoid the pitfalls that occur from eating too
much sugar.
So why should you be concerned if you and/or your
family are consuming large amounts of refined
sugar? Sugar is an inexpensive way to kill yourself,
providing caloric energy and habit-forming taste and
little else. Humans need sugar as much as they need
the nicotine in tobacco. The over-
consumption of refined sugars is implicated in over
124 conditions/disease
processes. Contrary to popular belief,
there is no Daily Recommended Allowance for sugar,
and sweet stuff is not a food group. A person can live
a long life—perhaps a longer one—without every
eating another spoonful.
If you would like to learn how you can break the cycle
of sugar addiction and how changing this habit can
lead to lowering cholesterol, reducing fatigue,
elevating moods, and losing weight (plus another 120
reasons we can discuss), please contact us for a
consultation. Sugar is ruining our health but there are
ways to beat the habit.
Find out more....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High Cholesterol
“Alternatives” Perspective
Cholesterol is the blood
element that people most
commonly associate with their state of health. The
most common lifestyle recommendation is a low
fat/high carbohydrate diet which many find
unsuccessful in lowering their cholesterol. This diet
loads the body with sugar that must be dealt with.
Studies have shown only 15% of a person’s
cholesterol can be controlled through diet. If only 15%
of your cholesterol is through diet, what is causing
high cholesterol? Until recently, cholesterol and blood
sugar were looked at as separate issues. Now, we
know they are directly related. When an individual
loses the ability to transport glucose into their cells
(insulin resistance) the body will resort to fat
production, increasing cholesterol and triglyceride
levels and leading to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Functional Medicine finds increases in cholesterol
and triglycerides are very helpful in identifying stages
of blood sugar disorders. High cholesterol is the
major problem caused by the blood sugar disorder -
insulin resistance.
There are several key factors that are overlooked in
cholesterol issues. Food sensitivities and anemia
have a direct impact on blood sugar. Insulin
resistance and anemia commonly occur with
inflammation from the food sensitivities. Food
sensitivities that result in an immune hypersensitivity
response will have powerful impacts on blood sugar
stability. Gut related problems, inflammation and
increased gut permeability (leaky gut) making the
immune cells more sensitive to the food most
frequently eaten. Any adverse allergen that interacts
with the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) will
trigger an inflammatory response which will create a
vicious cycle that includes inflammation, pain and
oxidative stress. Gastrointestinal dysfunction should
always be investigated in all patients who present with
any form of chronic pain.
Diligence must be used to remove food sensitivities
from the diet as well as to eradicate gut inflammation.
However, inflammation impairs the guts ability to
produce the chemistry necessary for digestion. You
could eat a pristine diet and still develop food
sensitivities. Supplementing with digestive enzymes
will make you dependent upon the enzymes
suppressing the natural digestive chemistry.
Wellness Alternatives focuses on restoring gut
chemistry to correct problems such as high
cholesterol.
Have you ever failed to respond to supplements that
others have succeeded with? If a person is anemic,
there will be limited success because the blood cells
will not be able to deliver oxygen to their cells for
energy production. Contrary to popular thought, there
are different forms of anemia than just iron. Iron
supplementation in the presence of inflammation will
increase free radicals, enhancing the cellular damage
through inflammatory processes. It is important to
know that inflammation must be eliminated before
treating the anemia or using iron supplementation.
For more information on a different perspective on
controlling cholesterol, call Wellness Alternatives at
636-227-4949 to schedule your consultation and go to
www.wellnessalternatives-stl.com for more
information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Why You Need Protein For Breakfast
First off, for those of you who are tempted to just “skip”
breakfast, please know that skipping breakfast slows
your metabolic rate, causes you to overeat at the next
meal, and actually changes the hormonal response to
lunch, making it more likely that you’ll store calories
as fat. It also impairs mental performance which can
subtly zap your energy. For those of you whom the
thought of food first thing in the morning sounds
repulsive, this is a symptom of hypoglycemia and can
rectified with slowly introducing foods (such as a good
protein shake) in the morning that will make your body
function better throughout the day.
Most of us know that the carbs, sugar and/or caffeine
that we may have been used to eating for breakfast
(cereal, bagels, sweet rolls, coffee, etc.) are not the
most efficient fuel to get us going in the morning. This
type of breakfast will send us crashing within a few
hours. We have a free Lara Bar for you during the
month of March. A better choice would be a good
source of
protein which actually speeds up your metabolism
and keeps blood sugar at a more normal level.
Protein should be eaten at every meal but is
especially beneficial at breakfast. Several research
studies have demonstrated greater body-fat loss on a
high-protein diet than on a high-carb diet. In one
study, healthy women eating a high protein meal
increased their metabolism rate by an amazing 100%
up to 2 ½ hours after eating.
So make sure that you include a high-quality source of
protein at each meal but especially at breakfast so you
can operate at optimal capacity all day long. Many
people find protein shakes to be a convenient, easy
way to start their day or any time during the day when
they need fuel. What follows is some of Wellness
Alternatives favorite protein shake recipes. Please try
them and let us know what you think—we would
appreciate your feedback.
Shakes
These are some of our basic tips for making protein
shakes.
• Iced is usually better. Iced or fresh fruit
(including berries, cherries, pineapple) with ice
cubes.
• The Bullet is a great one serving size
blender for making protein shakes.
• Yogurt- buy the best you can find--organic,
low fat, low sugar, plain, and try goat yogurt or kefir
(contains beneficial yeast and bacteria but
should
introduce slowly if prone to candida). Yogurt is
a “treat”.
• The freshest yogurts have stronger
bacterial cultures (this is good). Check the expiration
date.
• You will need liquids. Good organic, low
fat milk; rice milk; almond milk; an organic juice; or
green tea (try it warm). Remember water is good, too.
Try half juice/liquid and half water.
• Beware of protein shakes at specialty
shops. Ask calorie count, check the portion
recommendation, and look for hidden ingredients.
• Use organic fruit whenever possible.
• Some clients have found a few brands of
veggie juices that are palatable. Experiment.
• Regular cooked oatmeal (not instant) that
is cooled. Be prepared to add extra fluids.
• Other Add-In’s: Flaxseeds if you are NOT
insulin resistant. Try almond slivers or slices. Add
your Omega oil. Organic ground dark chocolate
flakes. AgelessXtra for increased
energy/moods/memory. Thai-Go for
antioxidants/healing. Supergreen powder
(Metagreens) for energy/acid/alkaline
balance/stabilization of blood sugar levels.
• Proteins for shakes are:
Whey Protein-- select a good quality--
unflavored or
flavored
Standard Process Complete- earthy
taste
Oasis Meta-Fuel (Chocolate or Vanilla)-
sweet
Clearvite as a part of a treatment program
Base recipes
The Berry
Organic juice (pomegranate or other), whey protein,
frozen mixed berries.
The Tropical
Organic juice (unfiltered apple), pineapple, half
banana, frozen mango slices. Standard Process
Complete or another protein source.
The Treat
Yogurt, chocolate syrup/ or ground dark chocolate
flakes and fresh organic peanut butter or raw almond
butter. Can add ½ banana if you like. Add
protein.
The Old-Fashioned
Oatmeal (cooked & cooled) with milk, and 1/2 banana
and cinnamon and organic maple syrup. Add protein.
You could try this warm.
The Summerfest
Fresh organic gazpacho from dinner the night before
and whey protein.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crooked Butt
What does structural alignment have to do with Kegels?
A lot actually! Many of you that have seen Dr. Dave
have heard him talk about “crooked butt”. Crooked
butt isn’t immediately life threatening, but it can
seriously impact your health. This is his way of
conveying that your pelvis is twisted and unstable,
which necessitates that your body make
compensations for the instability, compromising the
way your muscles and organ function.
Your
pelvis is the foundation for your body and on this
foundation many muscles and organs attach. The
pelvic floor is like a suspension bridge, anchored at
your pubic bone and your sits bones (ischial
tuberosities – for those who want technicality). The
muscles of the pelvic floor look like a double wish
bone.
Now allow me to ask the question: what would cause
problems in this area? Fall down – go boom, child
birth, tearing or incisions during child birth all can
cause a constant nerve irritation, fatiguing the muscle
to the point where they are unable to maintain even
normal tone. This leads to leakage, of urine and
sometimes rectal. Are there any other factors that can
contribute to the problem? Yes!
What would
happen if the pillars that the suspension bridge
cables were attached to were unstable? What would
then occur every time pressure was placed on the
floor of the bridge? The answer is there would be no
resistance for the cables to pull against and the floor
of the bridge would collapse. Now apply this to your
body.
What does every body worker, i.e. chiropractor,
massage therapist, physiotherapist talk about?
Unleveled hips, twisted hips, high hip, low hip, you get
the picture and we are taught the hips should be
moving. However, the muscles attaching to the hips
are some how overlooked. As are the organs, i.e.
uterus, bladder, genitalia that are attached to the
twisted hips. What is their cure? Strengthen the
muscles. This works as long as the structure the
muscles are attached to is stable. But no matter how it
is described, if the pelvic bones are moving and
unstable, every time the muscle they are trying to
strengthen contracts, the bones will move, negating
the effect of the exercise. Also the muscle is probably
already fatigued from trying to hold things together
while you go through your daily activities. It’s no
wonder that the therapy or exercise isn’t effective.
Plus, what do you think is going to happen to the
organs attached to the pelvic bones?
Many would say that it could not possibly have much of
an effect on the way your body functions. Have you
ever felt like you had a jagged boulder in your shoe
causing extreme discomfort? You take your shoe off
and see a microscopic pebble right where you felt the
pain. You dump the pebble out and the pain is gone
instantly. Think about it. How many people have
problems in the hip area? From back pain,
constipation, menstrual problems, infertility, etc. etc.
The answer is pelvic instability affects many people in
many different ways. This is probably the most
overlooked, misunderstood area of the
body.
This is why Dr. Dave put so much
emphasis on stabilizing the pelvis. If the bones the
muscles are attached to move every time the muscle
contracts, it will change the way the muscle works.
Think of it like you are standing on ice. You reach for a
door to open. You pull but slide towards the door until
resistance is met, instead of the door moving towards
you. The wrong thing moved. More exercise will just
help you slide back and forth better. For your body to
work properly there must be a solid foundation.
Because of his own experience with back pain, he has
found that with his hips stable and exercise, his core
muscles are much more effective in contracting.
His focus is on stabilizing the pelvic bones that the
muscles and organs attach to, restoring controlled
motion throughout the entire body, allowing them to
function properly. This is done through the use of
wedges, strategically placed under your hips to
realign and restore stability and controlled motion to
your body. Gravity and breathing generate the force to
stimulate the correction. This procedure works within
your body’s ability to heal (physiologic adaptive range),
allowing you to maintain the correction long term with
minor tune ups along the way.
Body workers
are taught movement is good. So, if your hips
(foundation) is
moving it must be good. How would this notion apply
to the foundation on your house? Would you allow the
foundation on your house to be “mobilized”? How do
you know what your body worker is doing?
Ask, “Should my sacro iliac joint be moving?” If the
answer is yes, you need to ask more questions. Many
don’t know or understand the relationship of structure
and organ function. It was the way they were taught.
When Dr. Dave stabilizes the hip, many problems
simply disappear quickly. Ask how quickly
their “mobilization” procedures take care of problems.
You are entitled to receive all of the benefits of Kegel
exercises. If this sounds of interest to you, it will
benefit you to look into having a treatment from Dr.
Dave. You will feel the difference. Call now for your
appointment, 636-227-4949 and go to the link below
for more information.
Find out more....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Benefits of Yoga
Article by Beth Sievert
Yoga as we all know it is aimed to unite the mind,
the
body, and the spirit. Yogis view that the mind and the
body are one, and that if it is given the right tools and
taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and
heal itself. Yoga therefore is considered therapeutic. It
helps you become more aware of your body's posture,
alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the
body more flexible and helps you relax even in the
midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of
the foremost reasons why people want to start
Practicing Yoga - to feel fitter, be more energetic, be
happier and peaceful.
Yoga is a science that
has been practiced for
thousands of years. It is consists of Ancient Theories,
observations and principles about the mind and body
connection which is now being proven by modern
medicine. Substantial research has been conducted
to look at the Health Benefits of Yoga - from the Yoga
Postures (Asanas), Yoga Breathing (Pranayama), and
Meditation. The information is grouped into three
categories-physiological, psychological, biochemical
effects. Furthermore, scientists have laid these results
against the benefits of regular exercise.
Physiological Benefits of Yoga
- Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium
- Pulse rate decreases
- Respiratory rate decreases
- Blood Pressure decreases
- Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases
- EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta
- EMG activity decreases
- Cardiovascular efficiency increases
- Respiratory efficiency increases
- Gastrointestinal function
normalizes
- Endocrine function normalizes
- Excretory functions improve
- Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion
- Breath-holding time increases
- Joint range of motion increase
- Grip strength increases
- Eye-hand coordination improves
- Dexterity skills improve
- Reaction time improves
- Posture improves
- Strength and resiliency increase
- Endurance increases
- Energy level increases
- Weight normalizes
- Sleep improves
- Immunity increases
- Pain decreases
- Steadiness improves
- Depth perception improves
- Balance improves
- Integrated functioning of body parts improves
Psychological Benefits of Yoga
- Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
- Mood improves and subjective well-being
- Self-acceptance and self-actualization
increase
- Social adjustment increases
- Anxiety and Depression decrease
- Hostility decreases
- Concentration improves
- Memory improves
- Attention improves
- Learning efficiency improves
- Mood improves
- Self-actualization increase
- Social skills increases
- Well-being increases
- Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
- Self-acceptance increase
- Attention improves
- Concentration improves
- Memory improves
- Learning efficiency improves
- Symbol coding improves
- Depth perception improves
- Flicker fusion frequency improves
Biochemical Benefits of Yoga
- Glucose decreases
- Sodium decreases
- Total cholesterol decreases
- Triglycerides decrease
- HDL cholesterol increases
- LDL cholesterol decreases
- VLDL cholesterol decreases
- Cholinesterase increases
- Catecholamines decrease
- ATPase increases
- Hematocrit increases
- Hemoglobin increases
- Lymphocyte count increases
- Total white blood cell count decreases
- Thyroxin increases
- Vitamin C increases
- Total serum protein increases
Yoga Benefits versus Exercise
Benefits
Yoga versus Exercise
Yoga Benefits
- Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates
- Subcortical regions of brain dominate
- Slow dynamic and static movements
- Normalization of muscle tone
- Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments
- Low caloric consumption
- Effort is minimized, relaxed
- Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)
- Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups
- Noncompetitive, process-oriented
- Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and
- Limitless possibilities for growth in self-
Exercise Benefits
- Sympathetic Nervous System dominates
- Cortical regions of brain dominate
- Rapid forceful movements
- Increased muscle tension
- Higher risk of injury
- Moderate to high caloric consumption
- Effort is maximized
- Fatiguing (breathing is taxed)
- Imbalance activity of opposing groups
- Competitive, goal-oriented
- Awareness is external (focus is on reaching
- Boredom factor
We at Yoga Joy aim to provide a relaxing and
welcoming environment. We have sessions that are
geared towards every level. We also offer private
sessions, which are great for new students. Our
teachers are highly trained and dedicated to their
students and the Art of Yoga.
We are located in the Wildwood Town Center at 109
Plaza Drive in Wildwood, MO 63040. If you have any
questions or would like a class schedule please
email Beth @ lv4life76@aol.com you can also Contact
us at (636) 405-1668 or Call Beth Sievert
(636) 544-5251 for a private session, or if you have
any questions.
~Namaste
Beth Sievert
Information on yoga written by Erich Schiffman
|
|
|
As we conclude this month's newlsetter and review
the final draft, we know there is a lot of information
here.
We appreciate the opportunity to educate and help
you understand where you have been and how to
improve your life.
Next month, we will adressess lifestyle issues and
The Solution Method in the office and the newsletter.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
|
|
