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A Genetic Variant Associated with Cancer and the Warburg Effect

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A Genetic Variant Associated with Cancer and the Warburg Effect

Hey Warriors.
Happy Fathers Day, (Late) to all you dads reading this!! I hope you truly know how important it is to have fathers in the picture!! I hope you got spoiled and loved yesterday!
First of all I wanted to say thank you for all the replies from last month’s blog about racism and trauma
As we continue on, I hope the conversation continues.

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This week we are switching years a little bit from brain talk and talking a little about nutrition.  As many of you know I switched a few years ago to doing solely genetic based nutrition. Why?  Because something was missing in my practice.  Hormone protocols, and detoxification protocols, and gut protocols got some people well but others plateaued, myself included. The world of genetics in itself is fairly new medicine, and we are literally learning more every single week it seems.  I like to look at genetics this way.  We are born with certain genes, but the way those genes actually work or express themselves can be changed. We know they can be changed even through our thoughts and environment.  So one way we look at helping is through nutrition.

The more genetic “variants” we call them there are in a certain pathway, the more that person might have trouble either creating or destroying something.  As the world is not only getting more toxic emotionally, but has been getting physically toxic for years and years, we have to find new ways to help our bodies overcome such constant bombardment, even from the air we breathe.  You’ve heard it before, we live in a toxic soup.  From our air, water, food sources, EMF’s, cleaners to body care.  

This is generally why we are seeing more and more health issues, an overload of toxins, the inability of our bodies to handle it, and inability to create new cells.
What happens when we can’t eliminate and regenerate leads to chronic conditions. 

In the western medical world we are taught to fear the C word.  Even though doctors and researchers have already found cures, and have been using treatments for years saving individuals lives.  I distinctly remember a teacher in my graduate studies who was one of the smartest medical doctors and microbiologist I had ever met.  He told me, Rachel we already know the cures to cancer.  He had served on some of the most prestigious cancer facilities in northern california.  But why was that not broadcasted?  He said he was not allowed to tell, and as we all know that industry makes billions every year.
I have never said nor will I ever that I treat cancer, because I don’t.  I help the body regain balance.  We all in fact have cancer cells.  Yes you have them now.  The way we deal with them and regenerate is what leads to it progressing.  What he eat, how we think, our surroundings, and what we inject in us.  The typical western route is either radiation or chemotherapy.  And although I support all my patients decisions, I don’t believe injections or taking toxic chemicals is the answer.  How can it be “good” to ingest chemicals? Again, I support all decisions, but remember this is a billion dollar industry.

Let’s talk a little bit about what is called the Warburg Effect. 

If you didn’t know, cancer cells LIVE and feed off glucose.  That is why a huge thing to cut down for most individuals is their sugar intake to starve it.  Cancer is defined by uncontrollable cell growth and division, so cancer cells need the building blocks and energy to make new cells much faster than healthy cells do. They rely heavily on the glucose and rapidly convert it to pyruvate via a process called glycolysis.  The Warburg effect is just that.  Cancer cells exhibit glucose fermentation even when enough oxygen is available to properly utilize.
In 2012, scientists wanted to know what the link was, so research commenced.  

When we look at genetic variants, we are looking specifically at something called enzymes. Enzymes either speed up a reaction or slow it down.  If the enzyme isn’t working properly, that means that the next step in our body making or utilizing something won’t happen. 

In particular, the scientists looked at a specific enzyme called citrate synthesis(CS). 
Here is a snip of my genetic chart (#3) to just show you where it is.  This enzyme comes in the ENERGY production (ATP) and utilization pathway.

In the study, they silenced or blocked this enzyme and the results are quite important.  The most important was that blocking this enzyme greatly increased (10 times!) migration and proliferation of cancer cells. They also found that inhibiting this enzyme accelerated tumor malignancy.  This is why: CS inhibition causes severe defects in mitochondrial respiration (thats how our energy cells breathe) and switches it to glucose uptake and up-regulates glycolytic metabolism.  You’ve heard me talk over and over again about the importance of oxygen, well here the cells needs oxygen as well and to utilize it. Since the mitochondria cells carry ATP our energy source, this means that ATP too was greatly decreased. Defects in mitochondria may promote tumor malignancy, forcing the cell to revert to the more primitive route of energy production through glycolysis.

Of course theres a lot more that is said in this study, and I will give the link if you choose to read it all, but this one enzyme is pretty huge increasing the risk for cancer. Since the body works as a unit it also blocks things further down the line that need to function as well.  One is cholesterol breakdown for hormone regulation and the electron transport chain which in the end creates that ATP (Energy).  I’m sure looking at that Kreb’s Cycle can bring back some high school chemistry days.  A lot goes into it, but that CITRATE up top is the key to get it started.  If we don’t have ATP we can’t regenerate new cells.  That means cancer cells can start to take over.  ATP can modulate the cell growth and bioenergetic metabolism of tumor cells, at least in part, through suppression of AMPK/p38 MAPK and ERK1 signaling and glycolytic enzyme expression and activation of p53 function ( sorry a lot of chemistry here, but just means more ATP less cancer cells).

So, if someone has a genetic variant in this enzymes ability to function, that can cause some pretty huge complications wouldn’t you think?  This is definitely a different way of looking at cancer.

What if we could optimize this enzymes function for those that have a compromised pathway?  With this enzyme working better, and energy production with oxygen utilization working more effectively it makes sense to think that will modulate proper cell growth and death.

This is the beauty of looking at specific chemical reactions in the body.  Testing for this gene can be a big find for anyone not only for treatment but also for prevention.  How many individuals have issues with cholesterol usually being too high, or gallbladder or weight/hormone issues?  That comes in here too.

Once knowing this, finding the night nutrient to help that enzyme properly work is the key.

When we get the body working better it heals.  Again we are looking at the body as a whole picture.  We need to look at toxin intake, diet and environment of course, but we can also help that person’s body function better, resulting in less availability of improper cell growth.

If you haven’t done my genetic nutrition yet, I suggest you do!  It’s been a big game changer for many.  It can take some time to figure out the perfect combo as we are learning more every month about genes, but already to success stories are flowing.

Look at how the body is functioning, not necessarily the “diagnosis”.  There you will find the answers. 

SOURCE:
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep00785?fbclid=IwAR2H9r3XlkhadF6DdwwoGiWqC4K59njy2WBOZIlg1g0UZ0LijvxAyESWRsc

OIL OF THE WEEK

This week we are talking about Frankincense.

Frankincense might not just reduce inflammation. It may also attack cancer cells directly.

This, say some researchers. could benefit people with leukemia and other types of cancer.

One of the challenges of cancer treatment is that, unlike bacteria or viruses, cancer cells are not foreign invaders. Instead, cancer occurs when the body’s cells grow out of control, attacking healthy tissue.

This process makes it difficult to fight cancer without also killing healthy cells. In fact, most cancer treatments do kill healthy cells.

Chemotherapy for example, kills many healthy cells as it fights cancer. This is why people often lose their hair, experience nausea, and become more vulnerable to infection during chemotherapy.

Some evidence suggests that frankincense might target cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

A laboratory study of bladder cancer, published in 2009, looked at how frankincense affected cultures of normal and cancerous bladder cells. The oil targeted cancerous cells, but it did not destroy healthy cells.

In 2015, further lab research found similar effects in breast cancer. The investigators found that frankincense could kill breast cancer cells and disrupt the growth of future cancer cells.

In 2016, scientist describing the properties of frankincense noted that it contains substances that have anti-tumor properties. These could prevent cancer cells from growing and lead to controlled cell death, or apoptosis.

These are early results, but they offer hope that substances that occur in frankincense might one day fight some forms of cancer without the potentially life-threatening effects of chemotherapy.

That is all for now.
have a happy and healthy week!
Dr. Hamel

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Persistent Impact of Trauma: Biological Implications

Hey Warriors.
I know it’s been a few weeks, so thanks for being patient!  It has definitely been a heavy past couple of weeks, and being a practitioner it’s hard to talk about health topics when more pressing issues have been at hand.

We know that this has been a long overdue injustice just coming to the surface.  
So many things I learned in school about healthcare always targeted those of color with increased risk for so many health conditions.  We do know there is white privilege, poverty leading to improper food availability and quality of food in African American neighborhoods consisting of mainly fast food and no access to healthier options.  This makes a huge impact as you can imagine in being able to live a healthy lifestyle.  But what about the other factors?  What about trauma?  What does that do biologically to one’s body over time… What does that do to a race overtime? 

If we look back in history of other injustices that have happened with the Native Americans and holocaust era, an impact still remains on those families that experienced the trauma. The past for many Native Americans is weaved into their modern lives. Racial and historical  experiences challenge us as clinicians: how can we understand the persistent impact of trauma—not just on the individuals affected but on the children of survivors and even on additional generations?

Researchers wanted to know more about this and began studying the aftermath of the holocaust. Many after the holocaust were diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. In the years that followed, accounts circulated of children of survivors who were also severely affected, but were believed to be from behavioral causes with the parents neglect.  Decades later, more research was conducted using modern tools and found many biological signs associated with trauma.   Interestingly, their children showed the same biological and epigenetic markers. On one hand, this demonstrated that the syndrome seen in the children was not merely behavioral—it was biologically mediated in the same way as their parents’.

It also raised a more profound question: did the children acquire these changes by virtue of their own traumatic experiences (being raised by a PTSD parent)? Or was it possible that there might be some other process at play?

” A team led by Brian Dias and Kerry Ressler developed an animal model that allowed them to tightly control all relevant parameters. First, they fear-conditioned mice to a specific olfactory stimulus (acetophenone). As expected, the mice showed an enhanced fear response to the stimulus smell. They further showed that the observed behavioral change was mediated by epigenetic upregulation of the acetophenone receptor. This was all consistent with previously published literature.

What they found next was truly stunning. The team extracted sperm from the fear-conditioned mice, performed in vitro fertilization, and then raised the offspring separately from the biological fathers. Extraordinarily, these offspring—and another generation beyond them—demonstrated increased fear responses to acetophenone. Moreover, their sensitivity stemmed from the same increased expression of the olfactory receptor, owing to epigenetic changes. These findings offered potential mechanistic proof that a learned behavior could be passed from one generation to the next via an epigenetic mechanism. In addition, they demonstrated the plausibility of Yehuda’s suggestion that biological symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder could be passed directly from one generation to the next.”

Wow.. Right?  I’ve also read studies prior that stated that emotional traumas can track back several generations, without us even knowing.

I raise this topic today not to dishearten our colored communities, as I have so much love and righteous anger for what has been happening.  This is to say that a healthy lifestyle seems impossible for some communities because of decades of trauma. This means that pain from trauma does not cease with death but may rather be woven into the (epi-)genetic architecture of generations that follow. Think about the genetic changes, the brain changes that occur.  It always shocks me when generational traumas come up in a session with a client as to what they can be holding onto.

  What if our healthcare system started to address this? 
I know, it would take a lot more things first. Like access to the care to for one.

HOPE.

There is also reason for hope: follow-up data from the mouse studies discussed above has shown that exposure therapy before mating appears to reverse the next generation’s inheritance of the behavioral and neurobiological marks of the previous trauma.  Perhaps there are ways in humans to heal (or at least prevent further transmission of) such wounds. I know this to be true.  Generational holds can be broken.  know this is not a typical health talk today, but it’s a REAL talk. 

As clinicians we must acknowledge and appreciate the biological implications of trauma, even without being a psychologist or psychiatrist. Trauma can assimilate in the body as pain.  And who comes to us for pain? EVERYONE. Furthermore, we need to increase our understanding of those who suffer from their ancestors’ traumatic experiences or current ones. Too many in the healthcare industry try to treat emotional ailments with physical medicine.  Yes means for food and availability of healthier options is of vital importance, but also during this time I think more than ever need to realize just the trauma aspect this has had on so many generations for too long. Generational fear, living in a free country that enslaves people.

The amazing thing about epi-genetics is you can change them.  We do that through mindset and nutrition and environment all the time.  Our hope is through this movement that things actually do change, they have to!  I think we are seeing some good come out, but I do believe we all need to not be silent anymore. And clinicians definitely need to do better. 

To all those who have been peacefully marching I support you.  To all my colored patients, I hope you know I love you and will continue to help spread the word.
Lastly,
I highly recommend you read the book white fragility for more information about this topic.  Please know that I am not discrediting those not of color that have gone through hardship or trauma either.

Share this to other healthcare providers.  They may need to start taking a different approach.

Also, thank you to all who gave gifts and wished me happy birthday last week.  I appreciate you all!

That is all for now.

Wishing you a happy and healthy week.

Dr. hamel
OIL OF THE WEEK

This week we are talking about HOPE essential oil.

doTERRA Hope Touch is a distinct essential oil blend combining the fresh scent of Bergamot with Ylang Ylang and Frankincense, then sweetened slightly with the warming aroma of Vanilla Bean Absolute. doTERRA Hope Touch can be applied to the neck, wrists, and pulse points to experience a refreshing scent throughout the day. Its inviting scent is only one thing that makes doTERRA Hope Touch truly unique.

With each application of doTERRA Hope Touch, breathe in its uplifting scent while knowing your purchase is part of a bigger cause—to help rescue precious children throughout the world. With each purchase of doTERRA Hope Touch the full purchase price ($20.00) is donated to the doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation®* which supports efforts fighting against human-trafficking around the world.

May Awareness💚

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May Awareness💚.

Hey Warriors.
Happy Monday!This week we are shifting gears. The month of May is an exciting month, summer is almost here, flowers are blooming the beaches are open finally! Everyone is just generally more outside wherever you are. It is because of this every single year during the month of May that I write about a topic that is near and dear to my heart. A topic that started me on this health journey. That is, my battle and journey with Lyme disease.I know that some hiking trails aren’t open yet but as other areas in other states are opening up in general there’s going to be more hiking more outdoors time and more camping. May is the month of Lyme disease awareness. And I can tell you 11 years ago I would have been so appreciative of having this information that I’m going to share with you today.

So many think and believe that Lyme disease is still just prevalent on the East Coast. Even many medical doctors in California still say that this is not prevalent in this side of the United States. However we have known and continue to know that this infection is worldwide. It is not exclusive to just the East Coast, although that’s where it originated, in Lyme Connecticut. I hope to help shed some light on this terrible disease, that plagues more and more and more people and children every single day.

Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the US and Western Europe with more than 400,000 new cases contracted each year in the US—an increase of more than 10 times what was previously believed.It receives less than 2% of public funding for West Nile and 0.2% of funding for HIV/AIDS, despite the fact that the annual case count for Lyme dwarfs either disease. There are now over 400,000 new cases of Lyme disease annually in the US—this is more than HIV/Aids, West Nile virus and Malaria combined.

In Connecticut, Lyme disease which originated from a specific type of bacteria called borrelia Burgdorferi was first found in a species of deer ticks. Since then however, infected insects have been found all over the place. California in particular, the primary carrier is the Western blacklegged tick, or Ixodes pacificus, and its principal host the grey squirrel. (This differs from the East Coast where the Eastern Blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the principal carrier and the white-footed mouse its primary host.). The Western blacklegged tick has been found in all but two California counties (56 in total) and infected ticks have been discovered in 42 counties.  Not only ticks, but mosquitoes biting flies, spiders and other insects have been shown to be infected with this bacteria and many other types of infections. The insect is really just the host of many infections. But we do know primarily ticks have a higher number of cases. to be infected with this bacteria and many other types of infections.  Additionally, the bacteria has also been shown to transmit through sexual intercourse and through the womb.

The difficult part about this infection, is that once bitten by an insect very rarely is there a classic rash which you will see when you look up Lyme disease. This rash is called a bull’s-eye rash, but very few (less than 20%) actually get this rash when bitten, and some of the ticks and insects are so small they can often never be found, you never having known you were bitten.
If you do get a rash, you consider yourself lucky, because you have a clear sign of infection. Unfortunately, the story for most like myself was no sign of rash or knowing when or how long I had the infection.

This infection usually carries on a host of what are called “co-infections”,  Infections like mycoplasma, babesia, bartonella, toxoplasmosis, protomyxoa, protozoas and many more.  This often makes it harder to diagnosis and a long road of healing.  Additionally, depending on the individual, many it can lie dormant for extended periods of time while the nervous system and immune system are strong. However, when there is a compromise like a stressful situation, a divorce, going to school, car accidents or something to that nature, the immune system and the nervous system get unregulated. This can cause the infection to come out of dormancy and really rear its head, as the body cannot keep it at bay any longer. This then REALLY makes it difficult to get a good answer of what is happening.

I will be honest, many doctors have ZERO clue how to properly diagnose or treat these infections.  For instance, the lab testing is completely inaccurate.  Unless you get the testing very soon after being infected they typically will show a negative.  There is a better lab called Igenix that runs more antibodies, but even this is not perfect and misses some.  This test is also not covered by insurance, and many Lyme Disease treatments are NEVER covered, leaving it to be called the rich man’s disease.

Many think and believe this infection like many things was made or exacerbated by the corruptness of the CDC.  Although we can’t definitively know, I wouldn’t put it past them.

“The mainstream handling of chronic lyme disease will be viewed as some of the most shameful episodes in the history of medicine because elements of academic Medicine, elements of government and virtually the entire insurance industry have colluded to deny a disease.

This has resulted in needless suffering of many individuals who deteriorate and sometimes die for lack of timely application of treatment or denial of treatment beyond some arbitrary duration.”

-Kenneth Liegner MD

 

With proper testing, and a definitive answer of having the infections, that unfortunately is just the beginning.  Many turn to rounds and rounds of antibiotics, which don’t work long term and end up leaving patient’s more compromised ruining their intestines and further depleting their immune systems.

The list for alternative medicine techniques to help with Lyme Disease are numerous and again expensive:
Rife machines, herbal remedies, detox foot bath, infrared saunas, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and many more. And yet still, many have issues genetically where they don’t detoxify properly, always leaving them feeling terrible and never fully recovering.  

And, don’t forget about the emotional PTSD, of completely losing your life, job, friends and goals. 

It’s complex to say the least.

Symptoms are different for each person depending on their immune system and how their body was before they got infected.

Some of these symptoms include:
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Heart conditions
Heart murmurs
Joint pain
Brain fog
Migraines
Skin rashes
Neurologic dysfunction
Seizures
Vision Disturbances
Recurrent Ear infections
Anxiety/Depression
Weakness
Digestion Dysfunction
Fever
Arthritis
Bells Palsy
Multiple Sclerosis
To name a few…….I have helped many with Lyme Disease and many other infections recover completely.  But it’s a long journey.  Most need to rebuild their body first, and mostly all my chronic Lyme Disease Cases are airway cases.  It’s a slow boat with these patient’s, as killing the infections causes other issues that they leave behind.  So you have to be patient and you have to be forgiving of your body in the process.Most I’ve seen are hardly ever caught right after being bit.  Most are chronic Lyme Cases, with multiple years of infection load, and a laundry list of symptoms.

Although knowing what I know now, I could have recovered in 1/4 of the time that it took me to then, the best treatment is PREVENTION. Especially, in high bug seasons like it is currently.
Even being in San Diego, there are still TONS of cases.

HERE ARE MY TIPS TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD:

The MOST common way I see infection spread is through animals.  Animals carry a host of infections, but ticks and other insects love to take a ride on these hosts and carry them into your home where they are impossible to find.

My first tip is to always make sure you check your pets after going for hikes or walks through tall grass areas, near logs and leaves.  I typically used essential oils every day when I had my dog to help decrease his exposure when outside.  And would always check and give a thorough bath after hikes.  Many ticks are impossible to see with the human eye.

High-risk activities include playing in leaves, gathering firewood and leaning against a tree trunks. What you do hike, stay on clear trails instead of walking across grassy fields. Also, important to keep your grass cut: long grass harbors ticks!
Cover-up. Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves. Tie back long hair and wear a hat. Light color clothing helps your spot ticks before they cause trouble.
Prevention. Essential oils can and should be used for prevention. They are highly effective, and way less toxic than DEET. It’s important to use on your animals as well.

Check for ticks. When outdoors, periodically inspect your clothing and skin for ticks. Brush out those that are not attached and remove any that are.

Shower. Once home, take a shower right away. This will wash away unattached ticks and offer a good chance to thoroughly inspect yourself. Feel for bumps that might be embedded under skin. Pay careful attention to hidden places including groin, armpits, back of knees, belly button and scalp. Parents should check their children and check your animals

Hot dryer. Running your clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes before you wash them will kill any ticks that may be there.

Removal. If a tick is found, it is important to use a tick removal device that gently removes the tick without dislodging its head, or causing regurgitation. Do not burn off or use any other method, that will increase your chances of getting infected.

Aftercare. Once the tick is safely removed it is important to use essential oils to effectively clean disinfect and draw any toxic substance left behind by the tick. They should be repeated as you would an open wounds for several days/weeks. I also typically use a high-grade echinacea for a few weeks on the site and internally to help decrease chances of contracting LYME.

Well there you have it.
These are my tips to keep safe.
I used to not even be able to go for walks out of fear, so I have some a LONG way, but I will say even going on hikes now, I never go beyond the path, it’s just not worth the risk for me!

There are many options for treating Lyme is you do have it or know someone that does.  Proper detoxification pathways, airway help and typically a protocol called Lyme Stop have worked the best for my patients and myself.

That is all for now.

Wishing you a happy and healthy week.
Dr. Hamel

OIL OF THE WEEK

This week I thought I’d share some of my favorite oils to help keep bugs away. There Are several different oils that doTERRA has that help protect against bugs. One called terrashield is called the out door blend. This one is great as a spray or just an oil to help protect against Ticks fleas and mosquitoes. Citronella and lemon eucalyptus oil are also two wonderful bug repellent’s. We often think of citronella candles, and these two oils smell very similar, but lemon eucalyptus has been shown to strongly repel mosquitoes. Remember all types of bugs carry Lyme disease infections not just ticks. I also recommend using these on your animals when they’re outside or going for walks.

A strong backside revolves around function of this system.

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Hey Warriors.
Happy Monday!  I hope you are thriving in this season.  I know this last week especially here in California is getting really crazy.  I will say, I am proud of people standing up for what is right through this and finally seeing the backstory behind it. I hope for the sake of our economy and so many businesses that took so long and so many tears to build will begin to regain strength again.  And for those corrupt in high places to come down! AMEN!

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We’re gonna take a break from all that immunity talk and regeneration talk, and talk about something that you are probably all interested in, your backside!! LOL. 

I’m sure with working from home, we’ve all been in positions that aren’t our norms, but I have seen people be way more active during this season which is great!

A common scenario I see in my practice is patient’s coming in with an inability to activate their backside. 
That means the back and the glutes(butt).  The muscles that keep us upright. 
If you read my last blog, I talked extensively about how airway compromise causes problems in the backside, always trying to keep you upright.  With airway people they have this forward head posture because they can’t adequately breathe, which means their backside is constantly tight (tight muscles mean weak nerve input) trying to keep them upright to fight gravity.

As you can imagine, most of my airway people are going to be the main candidates for this blog, but it also applies to many that have tightness in their back, shoulders and pelvis.

This is the key to proper activation of your backside:  Bloodflow and Lymphatic Flow. 

Let me explain.
Strong muscles, ANY muscles that are strong need blood flow.  The actual best way to grow a muscle’s strength is to increase blood flow to that area. 
One of the best ways to increase blood flow to the backside, is to get blood flow working better, which comes from the FRONT.

If you have struggled with weakness or pain in your Glute muscles (butt muscles) or your back after all the exercises and therapy, it’s probably time to change your strategy right?! 
Muscles only work as well as they BREATHE, which means oxygen and blood flow have to be able to reach them to work like they are supposed to.
Here is an analogy:  Rivers and Streams.  Streams will dry up if the source (the river), gets depleted.
We start working not downstream, we start at the top, which is our arteries and the capillaries in our circulatory system. 

Most individuals that don’t have good blood/lymph flow to the glutes will say: “when they do hip and glute muscle work or strengthening that they get increasing tension in their groin area or in the front of their hip (thats the front side). ”

Let me explain why:

There is a region in the anterior part of the body where a lot of buildup happens in circulation and lymphatic flow.
This is the area where the biggest lymph node is in our body, which is about 3-4 inches above your belly button. Thats the green dot in the picture.


(not my image)
That green line (representing the lymphatic system) then has to drain up and under the left collarbone into our subclavian vein.  That is the transferred into the heart, stomach and other organs. 
If there is a BIG blockage here, the lymphatic and furthermore circulation will be impaired.
Working this area, will help open up this channel and the streams down below it.

Another example.  The inguinal/groin area.


(not my image)

All of the draining from the lower body has to come through the groin area. See those two red areas?  Big Rivers there.  We need the FRONT open and flowing to help the back.

No muscle or organ in the body works alone. 

If you want a stronger backside, yes you do have to engage it and activate those muscles properly (nerve help and trainers), but first you have to make sure that the “flow” is getting to that muscle! 
 Ok, doc.. How do we do that?

Well, you might have got the hint by now, but you have to work on the FRONT side. 
Constantly working the backside and stretching the backside won’t be your answer if it’s a frontside issue. 

Most commonly, when someone has a glute or low back issue, most physical therapist and trainers will say they have a “weak core”, which could and is usually true, but strengthening the core can be difficult when there is a backup in circulation.  We need to work first on making those stuck “flow” areas free then can stabilize.

For most of you airway people that means we have to address the entire front line from your head, tongue tie (if you have it), neck and collarbone, down to that big lymph node near your belly button (diaphragm tension), your hip flexors and down to the front of your shins.  LOTS of blood flow and lymphatic stuff is in there!

I do this first by realigning your entire body.  Remember a stuck joint (even in your head), prevents blood flow.  This also will ensure that the muscles are getting proper information from the nerves.  So we just do this first:)

Then, we can work on getting the lymphatic system working more with work right along the surface of the skin including the lymphatic organs. This is done through gentle work along those nodes and organs, and sometimes doing muscle work if the fascia is stuck around where the nodes are.

NOTE here:  There are some places I cannot get to and refer out for.  For instance, if there is internal scar tissue or pelvic floor imbalances, I must refer for this section to get that anterior pelvic section working better.  Pelvic Floor therapists can be HUGE resources for this part. With internal scar tissue, it will be a huge problem for blood flow to the glute region.

Additionally, maybe a restriction in the flow is because one of those organs isn’t draining properly?  You can work on them doing body work to get the “flow” happening, but also sometimes nutritional protocols are needed to help take the burden off those organs and get digestion working more efficiently.

I’ve had so many patients over the years say that after working with their airway and front side of their body that they feel they can activate their glutes so much more!  

So, I encourage you.  If this is You.  It’s time to change your strategy!  You need a proper front AND back sides working together to create balance within your body.  Usually the issues are never where you think they are.
Problem with your backside?  Work on the front side (loosening and getting circulation flowing) then stimulate and strengthen those back muscles and see how you feel!

That is all for now.

 

Have a happy and healthy week.

 

 

Best,

Dr. hamel

 

This most vital nutrient deficiency, and how we’ve evolved without it.

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This most vital nutrient deficiency, and how we’ve evolved without it.

Hey Warriors.
Happy Monday.  It is Monday right?!  It seems since quarantine the days are blurring together am I right?!I’m going to take a break this week from talking about things related to coronavirus, just because well I’m over it lol. I think from the way the world is going you are all sick of it too!  At least people are starting to wake up to our freedom.
My biggest worry is not this new “virus”. It is the huge impact this fiasco will have on the mindsets of our young people. They are being taught to be at war with germs. They are being taught that they have no control over their health. They are being taught that medications and vaccines are the answer to all diseases. They are being brainwashed and lied to, and that is very sad indeed.  I’ve devoted most of my career to studying microbes and their benefits.

I will say I’ve had a couple of patients who showed up with it, and through testing it is NOT acting like a virus, but a toxin.  If you’ve been with me awhile, I talk about all different ways we get exposed to toxins.
So keep this in mind when thinking about immunity.  It’s not just fighting infections, but actually how our body and cells recover from cellular toxins.

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This weekend I went with one of my mentors to help train a dentist on a case.  Most of the great functional dentists and orthodontists if they are doing airway and orthodontia correctly always work with an osteopath, which is awesome!  However, not many know all that us craniopaths do to combine osteopathy with chiropractic.  And luckily, my mentors have been doing this a long time, and have such great knowledge and ways of explaining things.

Okay okay.. the “case” is myself. haha.  I have struggled with airway and TMJ/neck issues for my entire life and it has been a long road to recovery.  However, what I’m finding is about 80% of my practice suffers with the exact same thing, and no 1 case is the same.
Although I have recovered significantly, there’s still some improvement that can be made in my case, and so working with other professionals is key to finding the right appliance, or orthodontic device to achieve the results we desire.

As an adult, fixing some of these issues, which I will explain in a minute is a long road, and frankly most adults are not willing to take the journey.  I get it.  It’s easy to just do things here and there or get a CPAP to cope with symptoms.  This is why it is CRITICAL and so NEEDED to educate about care for infants.  So much of what we chase as adults could have been fixed easily as a child.

However, I am determined to get more oxygen and to get more sound sleep without surgery or devices. Why?!
Well you might have guessed by now that the most vital nutrient deficiency is oxygen. 

There’s an extremely common pattern I see in about 80% of my patients, and this is oxygen deficiency. 
Testing patient after patient, the same pattern will come up.  So i’m going to give you some descriptions of this so that you can better decipher what is going on in your body and see it in those around you. 
Because of oxygen deficiency, we’ve basically evolved into certain postures that are “common” but not normal. 

Looking at the Body. 
First of all just looking at how a person stands in gravity will give us some big clues.
For instance these images below (which are not mine) show a great example of typical postures we see with airway issues. 

Take a look at how the head is positioned.  The ear should be directly in line with the shoulder, however, the ear in this case is quite forward in relationship to where her shoulder is.  Look at the back, rounding in her shoulders and upper back which usually creates mid back problems, and the lower back tends to bend or tilt more forward   This is the “classic” airway posture.  Leaning forward to get more oxygen when the airway is constricted.  You see SOOO many people with this. Yes technology has created forward head issues as well, but this is really a neurological issue for people with airway issues.  They actually feel uncomfortable sitting up straight and maintaining it because it cuts off their oxygen. So the brain will say, nope let’s put them back into that position.

         

If we look at a front view of a person with airway issues, this is what you will see. (again not my image)

This is a classic forward hand posture.  The arms and hands should be more aligned with the side of the body.  What happens with this person is that if you stand behind them and just give a little push behind them pushing forward, they won’t be able to resist against it. That person is always unstable.
What will then happen is all of the back muscles will tighten to keep them from falling forward all the time. So you’ll keep finding tight shoulders, tight hands, tight neck, tight back, everything behind them will try to counterbalance if the system is working properly (Usually Younger, healthier individuals). Older individuals don’t adapt well anymore, so they end up going more and more and more forward and have more health complications.

What we can do for these cases, is we can test and see if the bite and airway is the primary issue for these people by putting a little tongue depressor and having them bite on it.  If you try and push that person again and they stand their ground, this is where we need to refer and work with a functional dentist/orthodontist to help stabilize the bite and jaw.  If it doesn’t change, or maybe improves a little it is a mixed pattern of bite and airway issues.

These individuals with airway issues don’t stand in gravity well.  They will start to sway back and forth, or will feel like they can’t hold their weight, so they will look for a wall or something to lean on constantly.   Or they will start to get really fidgeting because they can’t hold their weight, and they know if they can’t hold their weight they will crash and fall.  

Why isn’t this person standing in gravity well?
If we take a person into the side thats tight, we call it side bending, this simulates where you are stepping sideways.  Every time that person steps sideways the body loses its ability to communicate and can’t get any messaging down, so they will recruit all the upper body muscles to help keep them upright.  This is why you will continuously see tight patterns and muscles.   Makes sense?!  It’s not that the person or muscle is weak, it’s that the body is trying to protect that area.

Generally, lying down these patients will feel much more comfortable, taking all that gravity away.  Except even lying, the person still has some tight muscles. Why? the person will hold that pattern because the brain says we “better hold that pattern because the body is unstable. “

What I find, is that when I treat the body and take away the cranial and body patterns, the person will feel amazing!  However, it won’t hold.  As soon as that person bite chews and swallows it will re-tighten, or they aren’t getting enough oxygen, the body will go right back into that pattern.
This is why we NEED great and amazing functional dentists, ENT and orthodontists to help us!  When we combine the structure with the mechanics, it is life changing for individuals. Remember that teeth are just an extension of bone, so we have to get the cranial mechanics working as they are changing the bite and teeth to make the ENTIRE body balanced.  That side bending I was just mentioning starts all the way in the head, so as they balance the bite and expand the palate (usually), we have to make sure those compensatory patterns are not keeping it in the improper pattern.   Basically, we have to retrain the brain, and keep balancing as they are changing the structure.

So what is it that the dentist, orthodontists, myofunctional therapists and ENT needs to do to fix the airway issues?
Well, thats not an easy answer because every person is different.  Some individuals have tongue ties and aren’t swallowing properly.  Some have enlarged tonsils and adenoids, others (most common) have a very narrow upper palate which causes narrowing of the sinuses and facial structure.  All of this most commonly is due to how we are born, or what traumas we’ve had physically to our head and body. 
Again,  Why treating children early on is key to reverse it!
AS we grow into these dysfunctional patterns it’s a lot harder and takes more time to basically UNDO what our body has done to compensate.  It’s not impossible, but it is definitely a longer route.

NOT ALL DENTISTS/ORTHODONTISTS know this !!!  IN reality, very very few are properly trained in airway and body mechanics. Also, most chiropractors have ZERO clue of this.  They just keep treating neck and back complaints 2-3 times a week forever.  NOT fixing the problem!

If we take if a step further into the importance of oxygen you KNOW that oxygen is vital.  WE have to have it for anything to keep us working.  So many individuals don’t even know they have sleep/airway issues, but have a lack of energy, or sinus issues, or digestion issues.  We always must start with structure and oxygen.  It’s the key to life!

Additionally, many with this COVID crisis aren’t doing well on ventilators (helping them to breathe), but others are doing great with just pure oxygen being given! You need oxygen for regeneration!

Here are some key factors to look at with airway cases and to ask yourself.

1. Chronic Neck or Back Pain
2. Tightness in the chest or arms
3. Frequent headaches
4. Of course, sleep apnea
5. Daytime drowsiness
6. Constant Allergies
7. Constant Mouth Infections/Immune System Issues
8. Swaying and Fidgety while standing
9. Always leaning to one side.
10. Clenching/Grinding TMJ
11. Mouth Breathing
12. Acid Reflux
13. Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
14. One side of the body feels more dominant, tighter.
*** why not both?  Well, if both sides are tight (weak), then you wouldn’t be able to walk.
15. Constantly need body work, or doesn’t hold.  Say “i always hold my stress here”

INFANTS
1. Not sleeping through the night
2. Allergies
3. Colic/reflux
4. Breastfeeding issues
5. Sleep issues
6. Attention Issues
7. Mood dys regulation
8. not hitting milestone

9. Aggressive

10. Mouth Breathing

These are just some warning signs.
The older you are, the more a person in reality doesn’t want to go through he entire process of undoing what has been done.  It is a longer process, but it IS worth it.   Keeping your body and oxygen flowing as much as possible is so key to vitality in life.We don’t just want to live, we want to THRIVE!