Tag Archives: nutrition

School Aged Emotions

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School Aged Emotions

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you all have enjoyed this month’s topics all around Back to School Health!  We started with craniopathy and making sure their brains and nervous systems are working optimally so they can focus and learn new material!

Secondly, we went over school time nutrition, what to eat and tips on how to keep it healthy throughout the year.

Last week we talked about EMF’s, wireless and pollution from these frequencies and how to limit their exposure and protect your kids.

Today, we are going to go over how to keep children healthy during school with their emotions, then we will wrap up the month with immunity/flu shots and halloween candy alternatives.

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In this day and age, it is pretty difficulty managing the pressures of school.  With technology all around, and social media rampant, there can be many avenues for children to be overwhelmed, bullied, compare themselves to media, and just overall maxed out. 

In California, not being a native, but residing in both north and south, there’s a HUGE pressure on children to excel in school in sports.  I’m not saying this is a bad thing by any means, but the pressure for some children can often times be exhausting. Kids are not meant to be under extreme amounts of stress all the time.

Stress can start as early as childhood, and carry into adulthood if not managed properly.  In a recent poll that asked tens of thousands of high school students how often they feel stressed, nearly 45% said “all the time,” citing relationships and teachers as the primary reasons why.  45% ALL THE TIME.  I think we often forget sometimes that kids should also be that… kids.

So, how do we support our school aged kids?  And we know that college aged kids are just as if not more stressed with the pressures there.

Here are some real numbers of our kids having to take or be put on psychiatric medication in 2017.

  • 0-17 Years               7,213,599 kids on psychiatric 
  • 0-17 Years               3,655,472 kids on ADHD Drugs
  • 0-17 Years               2,100,315 kids on antidepressants
  • 0-17 Years               1,194,805 kids on antipsychotics
  • 0-17 Years               1,445,509 kids on anti-anxiety 
*Anxiety disorders affect 25% of teenagers, a percentage that has steadily risen over the past 30 years and is showing no sign of slowing down.

Nearly one in three adolescents (31.9%) will meet criteria for an anxiety disorder by the age of 18.

*11.7% of the adolescents met criteria for major depressive disorder or dysthymia, a less severe but more persistent depressive disorder.

*Currently, 6.1% American Children are being treated for ADHD with medication.

WAKE UP call here.  1 in 3 have anxiety disorders?  And a 43% increase in ADHD in the past 8 years. These are really grim statistics for our younger generations, but one’s that need to be recognized and known how to deal with/prevent.

Children process emotions differently from adults.  At certain ages, certain areas within our limbic system (emotional brain), start to mature.  For instance, around the age of 7 we start to come into our own emotions and not rely so much on mom and dad to mimic emotions as much.  This is a pivotal age. (this is also a typical age when children are “diagnosed with ADHD”.

Sometimes these emotions can be happy, and shape the child to who he will become in a positive way.  Sometimes they aren’t so happy.  And not even necessarily from a “bad home”, just taking certain emotions a way that wasn’t intended to be.

This comes into the part of internalization…

We don’t know why some emotions are internalized and others are not.  It depends on the state of the body at the time of that person when the negative emotion was formed.  Their immune system, environment, how traumatic it was, ect.  But improperly internalized emotions in particular for children can set them up to repeat patterns (subconscious level) throughout their life. 

Say they see mom or dad react a certain way to something.   Whether good or bad, the child internalized it, and created a repeat pattern to keep reacting in the same way they did at that specific moment in time.  And the important thing to note is the brain cannot tell a difference in time.

Continual improperly internalized emotions lead to not only physical stress, but internal stress within the body.  They might actually have body systems change, or create patterns and mindsets that aren’t necessarily “ok”.  

The ability to regulate one’s own emotions and manage successful interactions with other people is key for later academic performance, mental health, and social relationships.

However, a toddler for instance cannot regulate their emotions.Toddlers have no emotional regulation skills. Their emotions can swing like a pendulum. But that’s why we have parents, to help regulate those emotions.

Emotions change the way we ADAPT to situations. 

For children, all the topics we have already mentioned in the previous weeks are great ways to help monitor the emotional brain by keeping the brain/nervous system and immune system regulated.  

There will be ups and downs, that is normal, but like you saw above the epidemics are still rising, so we often in this day in age have to do more.

While smartphones can provoke anxiety, they can also serve as a handy avoidance strategy. A way to not to think about classes and college, not to have to talk to people.

I highly recommend limiting screen time for children and teens.

So what do I recommend?

Well, I obviously cannot control what happens in people’s homes, nor do I desire to or think it’s my place.  But for many children they desire the need to be seen and heard. For kids, little problems are HUGE problems right?  And for adults we need to understand that for children, these small things can seem like the END OF THE WORLD.  It’s also normal for kids to always want to protect their family, they can’t get by without grownups helping them right?

I often times find out these things by doing NET (neuro emotional technique) in my practice.  Kids, especially teens won’t always tell you whats the matter.  That’s why I LOVE this technique.

It combines behavioral psychology of the conditioned response and combines it with the 5 elements of Chinese medicine that emotions are held in particular organs in the body.  The intervention or decondition of the original trigger is done by chiropractic adjustment of specific levels of the spine that innervate the organs holding those emotions.

In other words, it’s a stress reduction technique, that allows me to tap in real quickly with the child about what is that exact stressor that is conditioning the body to react in a improper way, and de-conditioning it to react properly.

Cool right?   Very.   I’ve gotten many people off medications with this technique in combination with herbal/EO medicine.  

I believe that some medications are needed in some cases, but I really don’t think ANY medications are needed for our children.  Especially psychotics, unless extreme cases.

Other things I love.

Essential oils-  There are so many benefits of pure essential oils, and one is that they have an emotional aspect.  When you smell a certain smell it can bring you back to a certain memory right?

That’s one of the amazing properties, is certain oils can help us process and be ok with certain emotions calming the body and creating a healthy response.

I certainly wish I had EO when I was going through school!  The new kids kit by DoTerra is also a wonderful option for a go to for this specific thing. 

Herbals-  There are many herbals and nutritional recommendations I have for children to help balance these systems without medications.  Often it is doing the nervous system and healing of the gut that helps the most.  But, specific herbals can be wonderful for balancing systems, and of course heavy metal and chemical toxicities from vaccines and the environment can be extremely dangerous to a child and their emotion brain.

Detoxing a child is difficult, but it is possible and can be life changing.  I’ve seen many children break free from many emotional and behavioral challenges through detoxing toxins and infections.

…..I will tell you my most difficult it teenage girls.  All the makeup, perfume, cell phone radiation, birth control…. There’s soooo many toxins literally hourly they are consuming.  No wonder anxiety is SO common!  There’s so many things to help our teens with anxiety even body image/acne problems, but you gotta eliminate some of the crap going in!……

Another point I’d like to make is to also again remember to let kids be kids.  I know sports are awesome and fun, but sometimes school and sports can become a stressor.  Kids in multiple sports and doing multiple academic achievements can be taxing.  Some really thrive in this environment, but others don’t, and that’s OK.  The point is to allow them to do things that are also FUN for them, not a STRESS.

ON the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s Melissa Oil.
Melissa is called QUEEN B, or queen of all oils for many reasons, but a big one is it’s powerful ability to decrease anxiety, PTSD and many other emotional triggers.With a sweet lemon fragrance, the Melissa plant, also known as Melissa officinalis or lemon balm, is the herbaceous origin of Melissa essential oil. This rare oil is extracted from the leaf of the Melissa plant and is cherished by many for its large array of uses and benefits. Melissa essential oil contains strong soothing properties. When used aromatically or topically, it can help promote feelings of relaxation and can assist in calming tension and nerves. Melissa oil is also valued for its fresh, sweet, and citrus-like aroma. In the kitchen, Melissa oil can be used to flavor a variety of different foods and drinks such as teas, ice cream, and some fish dishes. Taking Melissa oil internally may help support a healthy immune system.*

Melissa Oil Uses and Benefits

  1. One of Melissa oil’s most prominent health benefits is that it may help support a healthy immune system.* To obtain this powerful bodily assistance, dilute one drop of Melissa essential oil into 4 fl. oz. of liquid and drink.* You can also take Melissa essential oil internally by putting Melissa oil into a veggie capsule and ingesting it like a dietary supplement.
  2. Two of the main chemical constituents of Melissa essential oil are geranial and neral. These two chemicals contain soothing properties that make this essential oil a perfect oil for relaxation. For optimal relaxation, apply Melissa oil topically or put a few drops of Melissa oil into a diffuser.
  3. Don’t let nerves ruin your big moment. Before a nerve-wracking speech, presentation, or performance, apply one to two drops of Melissa essential oil to the palms of your hands and cup your hands over your nose and inhale. Melissa oil is great for calming tension and nerves and will prove to be a powerful aid during those anxious occasions.
  4. Give your skin an invigorating boost by applying Melissa essential oil. Add Melissa oil to your moisturizer or to a spray bottle with water and spritz your face. This simple essential oil addition will give your skin a rejuvenated feeling and will help refresh the mind.
  5. After a long day, let your mind and body relax and unwind with a little help from Melissa essential oil. For relieving results, rub Melissa oil on your forehead, shoulders, or chest. Applying Melissa essential oil will help lessen feelings of stress and promote emotional well-being.
  6. One of the most important things you can do to support your body’s health is to get a full night’s sleep. Aside from nutrition, sleep is the fuel that gives your body the strength to work and play. To help create a relaxing environment that encourages a restful night’s sleep, diffuse Melissa oil in your diffuser before going to bed.
  7. For possible support your body’s immune system, place one to two drops of Melissa essential oil under the tongue or on the roof of the mouth and then swallow.* Directly placing an appropriate quantity of Melissa essential oil into your mouth is an easy and quick way to receive the internal benefits of Melissa oil.*

Fun Fact 
Melissa is Greek for “honey bee,” and its sweet, citrus fragrance was known to attract bees.

Plant Description
The Melissa plant, Melissa officinalis, is an herbaceous perennial that is commonly known as the lemon balm. This plant ranges from one and a half to two feet in height. The medium-green leaves of the plant are wrinkled and ovate in shape. The leaves of the plant are edible. During the summer, small, white flowers are found in the leaf axils.1  doTERRA Melissa essential oil is extracted from the leaf of the plant.

Chemistry of Melissa Oil
Main Chemical Components: Geranial, germacrene, neral, β-caryophyllene

Two of the main chemical components of Melissa essential oil are geranial and neral. These two chemical constituents have a monoterpene backbone and are part of the aldehydes functional group. Both geranial and neral contain soothing properties that strongly contribute to Melissa essential oil’s soothing abilities. To learn more about the chemical components of Melissa essential oil or other essential oils, visit the doTERRA Science Blog.

 

 

 

What’s a great food to help ease emotions and anxiety in children? EGGS!

B vitamin deficiency can cause children to experience confusion, irritability and anxiety. A rich source of choline and Vitamin B12, eggs are an optimal food for brain development and may ease feelings of anxiety in children.  If your child is allergic to eggs, other vitamin B rich foods like beef and citrus fruits are also great options.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Avocado
  • 2 Eggs
  • Pinch of sea salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit.
  2. Scoop out some avocado from the center to make room for the egg.
  3. Break an egg into the center of each half avocado. Don’t worry if some of the white spills out as long as the yolk is intact..
  4. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until whites are set and yolk is runny.

 

 

 

 

 

THAT is all for now,

 

Have a happy and healthy week.

 

Dr. Hamel

 

Wireless Wise Kids

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Wireless Wise Kids and Back to School

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend! I was up in Idaho and it was COLD!  Fall is definitely here.

This month has been all about keeping our kids healthy this school year.  We’ve gone over brain health, nutritional recommendations, and this week we will be talking about health through wireless technology.

I’ve talked in previous blog’s about EMF’s and the danger on our health.  5G is not a good thing people, it will come at a big health cost to all of us.  But, what is SO important about this topic is the health of our future generations this is impacting.

 

Here is a HUGE point I was you to remember with all of this:

Children absorb double the radiation than an adult brain.  Their bone marrow is 10 TIMES more absorbable than adults!

This is why we just can’t turn a blind eye to the dangers of EMF’s anymore.  We KNOW through research already EMF’s are harmful to us.  But, we also know the addiction factor is huge.

Other countries have actually BANNED cell phone use in children.  Is Israel, they saw a 20% increase in parotid gland cancer, so the Israeli association put out a ban because most that were affected were children.

There have been no studies that have been done if there is a link between autism and cell phones. But a lot in the engineering research are saying it’s definitely possible.  This being because EMF’s actually cause DNA damage. These gene differences can causes problems with generations down the line.

EMF’s also open the blood brain barrier and change our gut micro biome, which both are our immune system!

It’s important to know about what these EMF’s are and safe ways to use mobile and wireless technology.
This information can be found from a great book called : Wireless Wise Kids.

“Mobile phones, cordless phones, laptops, and tablets all send information through the air without using any wires.
This information travels through the air in tiny packets of energy carried by microwave radiation.  Even though you can’t see, hear or smell this radiation, it’s always present when wireless devices are sending or receiving information.

You might hear this information as a voice, or see it as in pictures, but it will reach you in the same way.

Here’s how a cell phone works:

Henry calls sally.  Henry’s mobile phone adds the information from his message to a signal of microwave information.  His phone’s ariel sends this radiation into the air.
The microwave radiation reaches a mobile phone base station which might be on top of a building or on a tall metal tower.

The base station sends the message on until it reaches a base station near sally and this base stations sends it to sally’s phone.

Sally’s phone changes the information carried by the microwave radiation into the sound of henry’s voice.

Cordless phones, tablets and computers also use microwave information.  Microwave radiation travels through solid objects such as walls. This is why you can use a cordless phone in a different room to the base or you can use a laptop in a different room to the modem.

But this means it can also TRAVEL into the BODY.  The amount that is absorbed by a person’s brain is called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).  Phone’s with higher SAR create more harm for the body.  ”

Think of an actual microwave.  We are pretty much melting our brains!

So….

We have to lessen the amount of exposure as much as possible, and ESPECIALLY for the health of our kids.  I wouldn’t recommend any children to have cell phones personally.  I would say only as teenagers would it be acceptable and only because it’s an independence thing.  Parent’s, try not to let your kids have your phones.

Tips:

  • When buying a phone, buy one with a low SAR rating.
  • Don’t spend longer than you need to on the device
  • keep your phone turned off as much as possible, if you use them for games with your kids, turn it on airplane mode
  • DON’T hold the mobile phone up to our head.  Text rather than call, use speaker phone, or use a headset (not bluetooth!)
  • DON’T keep your mobile phone near your body.  We are seeing more colorectal cancers in younger age groups, to which we we think is because of holding the phone in the pockets.  INSTEAD:
    • turn phone off when in pocket
    • put in backpack
    • put in purse
  • Don’t use phone in low reception area like your car or an elevator.  In these settings the phone has to work harder and sends out more microwave radiation.  (low bars on the phone)
  • Keep it AWAY from your bed.
  • Don’t use it as an alarm clock (unless airplane mode)
  • don’t charge it next to your bed because the charger makes it more harmful
  • get rid of cordless phones, they give out radiation even when NOT in use.
  • phones with wired connections don’t give out microwave radiation and are much safer
  • don’t spend too long on a wireless computer (super important for many schools that use a lot of ipads and laptops)
  • make sure the modem isn’t near your bed or desk
  • turn off the modem when no one is using the internet
  • don’t work with your laptop on your lap
  • don’t rest your tablet on your body, and always use airplane mode with kids!
  • Get rid of alexa and google smart devices.  HUGE radiation devices that send it out constantly.  I know it’s fun and convenient for kids, but a LOT of radiation.

The best advice is to do your best to control your home.  And be advocates in your schools that use a lot of technology.  We want our children learning, but not actually damaging their brain’s from all the EMF’s.  

I like using protection devices such as HEDRON for all cellphones and wireless devices, also home protectors they make can he really helpful.  They aren’t perfect but help!  The best advice is to decrease your exposure as much as possible.

THE MOST research out there for EMFs right now is on how it affects fertility.  It’s pretty profound, and I think we will keep finding more and more things it is affecting.

Don’t be uniformed, share this information with others, so we can help protect our kiddos.

OIL OF THE WEEK

ON the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s  Rose Oil.

Rose oil is one of the best oils to protect us against EMF damage. OIls serve as adaptogens, having direct and indirect benefits against EMFs.  Rose has the highest Hz at 320.

Other benefits of Rose oil include:
Rose oil is incredibly time consuming and expensive to produce—242,000 hand-picked rose petals make about five ounces of rose oil. However, the benefits Rose oil offers are well worth the effort.
Known for its sweet floral fragrance, doTERRA Rose Touch is a must-have addition to your essential oil collection for skincare, mood, and personal fragrance purposes.

Rose Oil Uses

  1. If you love the sweet floral note in perfumes, Rose oil is the perfect natural fragrance for you. Apply Rose Touch to your neck, behind your ears and to your wrists to enjoy the rose’s romantic and unique scent—free of additives or chemicals.
  2. The scent of Rose oil brings with it the power to uplift your soul and change your mood for the better. For those times when your day seems clouded by stress or worry, ease your emotions by applying doTERRA Rose Touch to your heart and pulse points.
  3. Rose essential oil is known to reduce the appearance of skin imperfections and promote healthy-looking, radiant skin. We recommend applying doTERRA Rose Touch directly on skin imperfections both in the morning and at night. Not only will it help reduce the appearance of skin imperfections, it will also promote an even skin tone and healthy complexion.
  4. Need another reason to include Rose Touch in your skin care routine? Your skin needs the appropriate levels of moisture to be able to function properly, which means hydration is key. When you’re dehydrated or your skin care routine removes too much moisture from the skin, your body will react by producing too much oil. Rose oil helps balance the moisture levels in your skin, which will keep your skin looking its best.

Fun Fact
In medieval Persia (now known as Iran), Avicenna (980-1037 AD), a Persian doctor wrote extensively on health and wellness and is credited as the father of aromatherapy as we now know it. He attempted various distillation methods using flowers and was eventually able to isolate the scent of the rose as well as produce rose water.

Wheatgrass Pineapple Smoothie.

An amazing EMF protector for us is Wheat Grass!

  • Barley (wheat) grass is a totally balanced food. It contains all of the nutrients required for life: vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other proteins (amino acids), essential fatty acids and chlorophyll. Barley grass has thousands of living enzymes (a special protein). Enzymes are nature’s biological catalysts that initiate all the chemical transformations in the body. Over 3,000 enzymes have been identified. They are required for every transformation in the body – digestion, cell respiration, bodily movements, thinking processes, detoxification, cancer control, fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, etc.The normal daily amount of barley grass is 1-3 teaspoons (1 tsp = 2 grams). If you choose wheat grass (juice), start with one ounce daily and gradually increase to four or six ounces.

RECIPE:

  • 1 teaspoon Wheat grass or 1 ounce juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Hawaiian spirulina powder
  • 1 1/2 cups raw coconut water or filtered water
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 2 pitted dates
  • 3 cups frozen pineapple

EMF’s, the hidden adrenal suppressors… and tips for exercise for adrenal fatigue.

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Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s topics around adrenal gland health!

This week we will be continuing on with the topic of some other “hidden” adrenal suckers, and tips on healthy exercise as to not deplete your adrenals.

First off.

What are EMF’s?  EMF’s stand for Electromagnetic Frequencies.  EMF’s describe the energy that is coming out from an electromagnetic source. “Electromagnetic radiation can be beneficial, harmless or extremely dangerous to humans, depending on the source, level of radiation, and duration of exposure.There are both natural and man-made sources of electromagnetic radiation. The sun, for instance, is an intense source of natural radiation that can have both positive and negative effects on living things. The sun also produces both visible and invisible electromagnetic streams.
Ultraviolet rays from the sun are invisible and cause sunburn and skin cancer if overexposure occurs.
A rainbow, however, is a visible and harmless part of the electromagnetic effect caused by the sun, as human eyes detect the visible wavelengths of light as different colors.”

Man-made sources of electromagnetic radiation include X-rays, Radio waves and microwaves.

“The power contained in electromagnetic radiation can be both helpful and destructive to humans. Overexposure to radiation, whether in an acute dose or a slow, continual intake, can quickly lead to illness and even a painful death. However, as electromagnetic radiation is also a natural part of the human environment, exposure to some radiation is unavoidable.

Every year there are more cell phone towers, Wi-Fi networks, “Smart” meters, and solar panel inverters. Soon California will mandate all new homes must have solar power, which means more EMF. Beyond this, there are millions of 5G antennas coming to your region, as part of the most powerful wireless network ever built.”

Mobile phone radiation.

Mobile phone radiation refers to radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves that is emitted from mobile phones. This type of radiation takes the form of radio waves that are near the microwave range. When we think of harmful radiation, things like X-rays or gamma rays usually come to mind, but these types of radiation are different from cell phone radiation. These are ionizing radiations and exposure to these are very harmful. Since cell phone radiation is non-ionizing, it is generally seen as being harmless in the short term. However long term exposure to this radiation also is proved to be very dangerous. Profound research has been made worldwide and it has been concluded by many that long term exposure to mobile phone radiation can lead to many chronic diseases like cancer.

Here are more studies for more information:

DANGERS OF MOBILE PHONE RADIATION

It’s official – Mobile radiation is dangerous

Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation

Pathological Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation

Cell Phones May Cause Hearing Loss

Dr. Mercola’s comments

Mobile phones and brain tumour

Study by UCLA AND DANISH researchers

Other studies revealing the risks of mobile phone radiation

Evidence shows that regular use of cell phones begins to heat brain tissue and affect the cells.

“Dr.David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health State University of New York says 30% of all childhood cancers are associated with EMF exposure. Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones. High frequency EMF waves lead to significant increase in blood pressure. Even though it is universally accepted that electro magnetic radiations emitted from mobile phones is bound to affect the health and well being, they tend to ignore as people have become totally dependent on mobile phones and life today will come to a standstill without it. We are subjecting ourselves and our loved ones to this external stressor day in and day out.”

Remember the adrenal glands are very sensitive to any changes in the body.  So any additional “stressors” put a chronic stress on these glands. And EMF’s in themselves can cause fatigue.

EMF’s also have some other scary properties.

1.  They open the blood brain barrier. This makes a straight passageway for pathogens and chemicals to enter.  Kids and pregnant women should as little as possible have cell phones and electronics on them.  And Pregnant women!! Never never put your phone on your belly or skin with a growing fetus.

“Three recent studies link prenatal EMF radiation exposure to a number of health issues including; decrease in births, accelerated sexual maturity (sperm and eggs maturing faster but at lower quality), and female eggs of offspring showing premenopausal similarities upon entering puberty. EMF exposure in the womb has also been shown to affect the development of the cells and neurons in the cerebellum, which works to control motor skills.”

This also poses the problem with vaccines, as we know anything injected goes right into the tissues and passes our immune system barriers.  So these chemicals and infection can get straight into our brain tissue because EMF’s open the passageway.

2.  EMF’s deplete essential fatty acids in our body. Because EMF creates problems at the cellular level, it is even more vital to obtain essential fats to help cells function at their best.

This is why so many people are tending more toward the ketogenic and high fat diet as well.  When EMF exposure is high, free radical damage is high, so we crave and thrive off of more heathy fats to combat all the free radical stress.

Nutritionally, we should all be on some essential fatty acid supplementation, whether plant or fish to combat this. Also recommended are other antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E, green tea extract, lipoic acid, NAC, circumin, wild blueberries, Ginko, resveratrol, and others.
I love using herbs to help support the adrenals and replenish nutritional deficiencies.

3.DNA Damage – Radiofrequency (RF) radiation induces both single- and double-stranded DNA breaks in human and animal cells. When DNA breaks are not properly repaired, the long-term damage results in adverse health effects.

4. Voltage Gated Calcium Channels (VGCC)– EMF opens VGCCs causing cells to be flooded with calcium. This excess calcium disrupts multiple pathways, leading to various negative effects, including increased oxidative stress, disrupted nerve cell communication, and heart-related problems.

5. Melatonin Hormone Reduction – EMF suppresses the production of melatonin, which is the antioxidant hormone responsible for repairing the body during sleep. When the body does not properly repair itself at night, problems can arise from immune-related conditions to premature aging.

6. Microbiome Disruption– Just as all cells—including those in our body, are electrical, the organisms in our microbiome are electrical, too. There is evidence to show that our microbiome is harmed by EMF.

Wearing protective EMF shields on your electronics ( Like Hedron Life Source I like) will help decrease your exposure, but really you need to follow these tips as best as possible.

  • Create a wired Internet network in the home. Computers, laptops, and HDTVs can run on hardwired Ethernet connections. Smart phones and tablets can be hardwired using Ethernet adaptor cords. Use Wi-fi routers infrequently (minimize use), or not at all. Keep routers as far away from living areas as possible.
  • Keep smart phones in airplane mode whenever possible. Minimize use of cell phones for calls. Use Air tube headsets and speaker phones whenever possible to provide distance from the device.
  • Avoid using mobile phones in a vehicles like cars and buses (as vehicles act as Faraday cages in which signals just bounce around). Keep away from phone or tablet when downloading data. Turn off Wi-Fi and cellular data on the phone most of the time.
  • Never keep mobile phones in pockets or close to the body. Turn phone off or use airplane mode if phone must be kept in proximity to the body.
  • Turn off electronics (phones, routers, Bluetooth devices) at night. Keep cell phones and other electronics out of your bedroom. Put your router on timer switch to shut off automatically at 9 or 10 pm.
  • Use a landline phone. Yes, landline phone service still exists in most places.
  • Test for electromagnetic interference (EMI) in household outlets using a EMI meter. Install a line conditioner and/or EMI filters (to reduce “dirty electricity”). You can obtain EMI meters and filters from Greenwave or Stetzer.
  •  Shield smart meters using special “radiant barrier” anti-radiation materials, like Satic Shield (from Satic USA) or Reflectix (available at Home Depot). Place shielding on the interior wall opposite the meter. There are also metal meter cages for blocking fields coming from the face and sides of smart meter.
  • Consider an in-line conditioner for your electrical system, especially if you have a smart meter or solar panels—or measure significant amounts (300+ millivolts) of dirty electricity on your wiring. I am pleased with Satic USA’s line conditioner (Power Perfect Box) that attaches to the electrical breaker box
  • Keep a Faraday bag available for times when you want to block all signals to or from your smart phone or other devices. They are available for less than $20.

Additionally.

You should also be protecting against Blue Light, which is a big adrenal gland depleter.
Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum. During the daytime, natural blue light from the sun helps keep you awake and regulates your circadian rhythm, or ‘body clock.’ Indoors, blue light is emitted from digital devices like computers or smartphone screens, as well as artificial light sources such as LED and fluorescent lights.

“The most common effects of too much blue light exposure are eye strain, blurred vision, and headaches. However, recent studies have focused on blue light’s negative impact on the circadian rhythm and found that watching TV or using a tablet before bedtime, for example, can result in restlessness and disrupted sleep cycles.  Children are the MOST vulnerable.”

Getting blue blocker glass to wear when you are around blue light is super important, and especially for not disrupting your sleep pattern at night.  So if you use electronic before bed (i don’t recommend), make sure you’ve got your glasses on!

Healthy Exercise.

Exercise is important for many vital health functions in our body.  However, for those with adrenal fatigue, exercise the wrong way can also be a source of stress.
Exercise increases many great things like endorphins, NRF2 in the brain which is a antioxidant cellular defense pathway.    It’s so important to have regular exercise into your daily routine every day, as we were made to move.

However, some individuals can go overboard with working out, as in working out too hard, too much, and through exercise that is not right for their body which causes metabolic stress.

For example, many women will actually stop menstruating with heavy exercise, which as we know is harmful.
But when your adrenals are already compromised, doing heavy excercise may actually harm rather than help you.

“Many evidence is showing that Exercise, especially high-intensity exercise, is stressful on the body and it causes your body to release cortisol. There’s the belief that cardio exercise, like running, is really adrenally taxing, but we’re now starting to see that even aggressive circuits can be adrenally taxing as we’ve seen with CrossFit athletes.A recent study looked at adrenal cortisol response of high-intensity, short-rest, resistance exercise in healthy men and women. The study found that short rest periods may not be good for those with adrenal fatigue, as they caused an increased adrenal response. It demonstrated that a CrossFit-type training session showed much higher levels of cortisol produced. If you’ve got cortisol issues to begin with of various forms, you probably cannot keep up with that output and keep your health at the same time.

In the world of functional medicine, we often advise against high-intensity cardio and actually recommend circuit training or resistance training for those with adrenal fatigue. While prolonged cardio exercise that lasts more than an hour is not ideal, we’re finding that intense circuit training with short rest periods may actually be worse. These types of workouts, such as CrossFit, actually cause the most adrenal stress.

You do want cortisol to be released during exercise. However, once you are done with that exercise, you want the cortisol response to actually go back down as fast as possible.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise or you shouldn’t do resistance training. For those with adrenal issues, lower-level cardiovascular training is actually beneficial. ”

This means listening to your body.  Maybe starting at first with keeping working out under an hour, walking in nature, doing a yoga/pilates class, perform simple, low-intensity movements.

Workout out extremely hard every single day, can put a stress on your adrenal glands.  Exercise is vital and key, but too much of anything is not good.  Be mindful of your own body, as we are all different and have difference needs.

 

 

OIL OF THE WEEK

ON the spotlight this week is DoTerra’s  Rosemary.

In two separate studies, scientists in Spain found that nothing fights radiation damage to micronuclei like a simple garden herb known as rosemary. They noted that ionizing radiation causes the massive generation of free radicals that induce cellular DNA damage. They studied the protective effects of several compounds against gamma ray induced chromosomal damage in micronuclei testing by adding various compounds to human blood before and after irradiation. When the compounds were added after gamma-irradiation treatment, the protective effects relied not on scavenging ability, but on activity against free radicals already present in the cells, such as lipoperoxy radicals which are mainly responsible for continuous chromosomal oxidative damage.

The fact that carnosic acid and carnosol found in rosemary are fat soluble allows them to provide highly asignificant protective anti-mutagenic activity. Even the most powerful water-soluble antioxidants lack the capacity to protect against gamma ray induced damage. This study can be found in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2 edition.

In their second study, the generation of radiation induced cellular DNA damage to skin from free radicals was the focus. The researchers sought to demonstrate that rosmarinic acid from rosemary would act as a photo-protector both by acting as a scavenger of free radicals and as an inducer of the body’s own endogenous defense mechanisms by regulating tyrosinase activity and stimulating melanin production. They found that formulation of toxic malonyldialdehyde was delayed by the use of rosmarinic acid, and the protection factor was 3.34 times greater than for other compounds studied, as measured in micronucleus testing. In vivo testing showed the capacity of orally administered rosmarinic acid to inhibit skin alterations as a result of UV radiation exposure.

Nutrition, Bugs and Genetics…. Adrenal Depleters

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Happy Monday!  It’s newsletter time!  And we are talking this month all about adrenals!!  Last week, we chatted about how mechanical dysfunction within your brain and nervous system depletes the adrenal glands.

This week we will be talking about nutritional deficiencies, Bugs and Genetics that can come into play and affect the health of your adrenal glands.

Are you ready?

Lets dig in!

Step 1.  Nutrition.

As mentioned in our first blog about adrenals, the adrenal glands secrete steroid hormones.  Steroid hormones come from cholesterol!

In order to have proper hormone function, we need to have proper fat absorption and utilization within the body.  Our hormones rely on fat, and a healthy balance of it.

As mentioned, cholesterol IS NOT BAD.  It is actually a superhero with many vital functions.  If we don’t get enough adequate cholesterol within our diet, our storage will start to rev up.  Again this is VITAL.  A good blood marker is around 180-220.  THIS IS NORMAL.  Lower levels and you will have significant hormone problems.  

If your cholesterol is higher than 220, then it is either a liver problem, genetic(rare), or the excess cholesterol is trying to put out a fire in your body .  You see cholesterol goes to area of the body where there is inflammation and tries to patch it up.  ( this is why cholesterol goes to arteries that are weak and inflamed and tries to patch it up).  It’s the superhero, not the culprit.  So we need to figure out what those flames are, which leads into our next portion.

Also important, if you have food allergies, these are CHRONIC adrenal gland depleters.  Sometimes they aren’t actual allergies, but inflamed digestive tracts from pathogens.  Once the pathogens are cleared the nervous system and inflammation will calm down, and the food sensitivities can go away.

I can desensitize certain allergies through craniobiotic technique in my office.  But a good rule of thumb is to eliminate gluten and pasteurized dairy if you have adrenal fatigue.  These are inflammatory for EVERYONE and shouldn’t be consumed, but especially for those with adrenal problems.

GMO and non organic foods are also problems.  We can’t digest GMO foods, they are foreign to our body.  And non organic foods have thousands of chemicals and pesticides which means more adrenal stress.

2. BUGSS.

Did you know the prevalence of Esptein Barr Virus or Mono? In the research conducted in 2005, it was found that Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infects more than 98 percent of the world’s population!  Yep.

Know anyone with ulcerative colitis or Chrons?
Almost ALL causes of ulcerative colitis or Chron’s disease show positive for Mycobacterium species.

Alzheimers or MS?
Lyme Disease Bacteria has been shown to be prevalent in cadaver’s brains in Alzheimers patients, and MS can be misdiagnosed for the borrelia bacteria.

Chronic diarrhea or IBS?
You most likely have a protozoal/amoeba infection.

Almost every single nutrition patient that comes to me has parasites.  Its actually NOT normal to find someone without these days.  Things are all around.

I could go on… the fact of the matter is that almost ALL diseases can be traced to BUGS.  Things don’t just “happen”.  Auto-immune diseases don’t just “happen”.  Usually the gut/brain pathways are stressed through pathogens and nervous system distress.  Pathogens like microbes can hide in our bodies for years and wreak havok creating chronic stress and adrenal depletion.

It’s important to note, a lot of infections go undiagnosed.  That’s because typical blood work and even stool testing doesn’t always find these hidden pathogens.  Testing isn’t perfect.

Thankfully I have functional medicine tools to use including Craniobiotic Technique to screen for these hidden pathogens.

You HAVE to take care of stealth pathogens, because they are chronic immune system and energy depleters.  
It’s also important to know that when you are killing these bugs, if you are able to actually eliminate them out of your body.  If you aren’t then you will have a lot of side effects, and it could be harmful.  We have to get pathogens and toxins OUT the shooter.

Which leads to Step 3.

Step 3.  Genetics

Genetics have been all the “rave” the past 5-10 years as we learn more and more about them.  It’s important to note the difference between genetics and epigenetic.  Epigenetics are specific genes we have that may be turned “on” or “off”.  But, the great thing is that we can change our epigenetics.  We know that the food we eat, environment that we are in, emotional stability all have effects on our genes. 

With genetics, specifically with the adrenal glands, if you have chronic adrenal fatigue, sometimes looking into genetics is necessary.

This is mainly because it you have a lot of genes that aren’t functioning well, then the pathways that we need are not functioning well.  Add in infections, nervous system stress and emotional instability and it’s a trifecta of improper detoxing.   Most of what we are looking at with the genetics here is the function of enzymes.

So, in these cases, genetics are very useful.

One gene in particular is called the MTHFR gene.  (yep that’s how its spelled!).  It stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.  With this gene mutation (you can have many forms), you cannot convert a B vitamin called folic acid to folate which is the end product we need to make methylation (detoxing) happen.  So this enzyme is impaired.  That means ingesting folic acid in supplements is very toxic and harmful to this person because they can’t break it down to the end product folate.

So why is folic acid in supplements?  SYNTHETIC supplements contain folic acid (which I NEVER use) because it’s cheap.  It’s way better to use whole food supplements or ones that have FOLATE instead of folic acid.

Good to know right?

Absolutely!  Genes give us more information!

B vitamins are essential for many things, but ENERGY is a huge one.  If you can’t synthesize your B vitamins, you won’t detox well and your adrenals and energy will suffer.

This is just one example of how a gene could affect adrenal function.

Genes can affect neurotransmitters and mood disorders, and also other B vitamins.

It gets more complicated as we go, so it’s important to chat with someone who is versed in genes.  A great resources is the book “dirty genes” By Dr. Ben Lynch.  Meaning we need to clean up these dirty gene pathways to experience health and vitality!

So what to do???

Functional Nutrition is key.  Sometimes we need to support the adrenal glands with nourishing herbs and whole foods while we are cleaning out the bugs, clearing nervous system and emotional stress and working on the genetic pathways.  Also, with genes it’s not about giving supplements for every little gene mutation.  This is a big no no. It’s about looking at the whole picture.
Genes just give us more information, but remember we can change gene epigenetics!  Changing the diet is key, and stabilizing the blood sugar is number one.

I recommend a more Ketogenic high fat and low carb lifestyle.  With moderation for everyone with different needs.   Cutting out dead carbs will stabilize blood sugar and allow the body to burn fat.

A yo yo of glucose going up and down stresses out the adrenal glands immensely, so this is one of the first things that needs to be addressed.

Looking at the diet, when you are eating, and supporting as needed. Many people are deficient in vitamins and minerals and don’t even know it. Minerals, such as chromium and magnesium are essential to keeping blood sugars in the normal range. Also important to not eat sweets when you get that energy crash.. This is where herbal support comes in!  Eating a good fat/protein before bed will actually make you sleep better too!!

Often times people have insomnia because their blood sugar is so unbalanced.  They wake up multiple times in the night because they actually are starving.  Eating carbs will only suffice you for a few hours.   If you wake up tired, and go to bed energized, then your adrenals are ALLL kinds of messed up, and you need some help!

I’m happy to help!

Adrenals, Adrenals, Adrenals

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Hello August!  I certainly can’t believe it’s August already!  But a new month means a fresh new topic!  Hope you all enjoyed last month’s topics around fertility.  If you missed it, or know someone that might benefit, please SHARE them!

This month we will be diving into the all important Adrenal Glands.  We will start this week with what are they and what is their job, and will continue the rest of the month talking about what depletes them:  Brain inflammation (clenching, cranial tension, spine and nervous system), nutritional deficiencies and imbalances ( including infections, hormones, toxins, heavy metals, genetics and more), Chronic STRESS and EMF or electro magnetic frequencies.

WHAT ARE THE ADRENALS???

I’m SO glad you asked:)

The adrenal glands are little but powerful glands that sit on top of your kidneys.


(not my image)

These glands produce hormones which are in a class called “steroid hormones”.

Steroid hormones are a family of hormones made directly from Cholesterol!

The specific steroid hormones that are produced from the adrenal glands are cortisol and aldosterone.

WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT THESE HORMONES! In fact, cortisol is so important we’d die without it in a matter of three days!
These hormones govern stress handling systems, growth, mood and metabolism and impact almost every cell and every organ in the body!  

But …. It all STARTS with….. CHOLESTEROL!!
This important FAT is manufactured in the liver AND intestines.
It is produced based on need. 
The benefits of cholesterol have been misunderstood for so many years, but as we know now with the ketogenic craze, that fats are so amazing for us and needed for adequate hormone production.

These are all the things Cholesterol does:

  • Cell membrane flexibility ( it is literally in our cell membranes, so you biochemically cannot gain weight from eating saturated fats, it’s IN YOUR CELL membranes)
  • Needed for brain health
  • Important for nerve conduction
  • Needed for vitamin D conversion in the skin
  • protects against heart disease and cancer
  • supports healthy immune function
  • increases cell wall permeability
  • mother’s milk is high in cholesterol as babies need very high amounts (BABY FORMULA has NO CHOLESTEROL in it, it’s not a good source of nutrition)
  • Maintains health of intestinal wall; helps prevent leaky gut and dysbiosis
  • Component of bile which is required to process and absorb dietary fats
  • contribute to longevity
  • supports health emotional responses
  • decreases suicide risk
  • important for healthy reproduction, intelligent offspring and hormone production
It’s kind of a SUPERHERO, if you ask me.. and HEALTHY levels are crucial.  The normal range is 180-220.  This is a functional healthy range. Probably not the range your doctor gave you. Levels below this range are associated with an increase in :
-cerebrovascular accidents
-liver cancer
-lung disease
-depression and suicide (its essential in the production of serotonin)
-addictive behavior.

The best sources to get this in your diet are in animal tissues:

  • Egg yolks
  • liver
  • sardines, trout, herring, salmon and cod liver oil
  • bacon
  • butter
  • grass fed meats
Although I do work with vegetarians, I do find it’s extremely hard to balance hormones when animal tissues are not consumed.  They usually don’t get enough from plant sources and will always be chasing hormone problems. Flax seed, olive oil and coconut oil have the highest levels of saturated fats to consume.

HERE is the ADRENAL HORMONE PATHWAY.


You see how cholesterol is at the top???

Now as we go down the chart you will see one route that leads to cortisol.
Cortisol controls our Stress Response.  That is: Fight or Flight Response.  This is vital so that when a threat is upon us we can react quickly!   However, the problem remains when chronic stress continues.
When chronic stress (we will go over what chronic stress is caused by the rest of this month) continues, cortisol is constantly being pumped out.  This causes something called the Pregnenalone Steal.

This means sex hormones won’t be made efficiently because we constantly need cortisol production for the chronic stress.
Here are the effects of chronic and prolonged stress:

  • estrogen dominance
  • depressed or elevated DHEA
  • weakened immune system
  • thyroid dysfunction
  • poor sleep
  • inflammation
  • digestive disorders
  • accelerated aging
And, here are consequences of stress ( we will go over this more in the weeks to come):

  • Weakness
  • hair loss
  • nervousness
  • lowered body temperature
  • weak muscle tone
  • irritability
  • depression
  • difficulty gaining weight
  • apprehension
  • hypoglycemia
  • inability to concentrate
  • excessive hunger
  • tendency towards inflammation
  • poor memory/confusion
  • digestion dysfunction
  • feelings of frustration
  • overall feeling of ill health
  • osteoporosis
  • auto immune diseases
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness upon standing
  • lowered resistance to infections
  • low blood pressure
  • insomnia
  • sweet/salt cravings
  • headaches.
So, as you can see… Just cortisol function is super important for many functions.

What about the second hormone the adrenals produce?  This is aldosterone.

Aldosterone’s main role is to regulate salt and water on the body, having a huge influence on blood pressure.
So, when the adrenal glands aren’t functioning properly blood pressure dys-regulation and electrolyte imbalance can also come into play.

I can tell you, almost every patient I see needs some form or another of adrenal support.  The reason because we are being attacked literally every day from every angle.  We didn’t used to have to use so many products or methods even 15-20 years ago.  This being because now more toxins are everywhere, infections, EMF’s, chemical products, foods, vaccines, crazy work schedules.  It’s often hard for our bodies and adrenal glands to keep up. The key is not to just continually keep supplementing the adrenal glands with specific nutritional supplements, but to find the culprits, which may be one or all combined.

A lot of MD doctors will also tell you adrenal fatigue doesn’t exist.  But it does!  Don’t be discouraged.  There are answers.

Next week we will go over nervous system and brain function and it’s role in Stress out and Helping this gland.

Stay tuned!