Tag Archives: stress

Let’s Talk About Poop

This article has been updated. It was originally posted August 2014.

Do you talk about poop at the dinner table? We did when I was growing up. My Mom, being a Naturopathic Doctor, asked each one of us if we had a good bowel movement that day.

I continued the tradition in my family.

Your poop can tell you a lot about your body. How often you go, how long it takes you, and what it looks like in the toilet are all clues. If your bowel movements are off, you are more likely to get sick – becoming more susceptible to germs and other more chronic conditions. Your stools are also a good indication if you are eating appropriately.

Continue reading →

Leaky Roofs, Alzheimer’s, and Healing Your Body

What does a leaky roof and your health have in common?

I was recently reminded of a concept that I first learned from Dr. Dale Bredesen in his book The End of Alzheimer’s. As he explains in detail in his book, Bredesen is having great success helping those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, helping them recover and return to leading full lives.

In his book, Bredesen makes an analogy between someone with Alzheimer’s and a roof with holes, or what I like to call a leaky roof.

He determined a total of 36 health markers that can compromise the brain, causing it to degrade. These markers include those that can be measured, such as brain-related peptides, hormones, and neurotransmitters, as well as lifestyle factors like quality of sleep and stress levels. (See details below.) Continue reading →

Stress Free and Centered During the Holidays and Throughout the Year

The holiday season can be a stressful time for many – more commitments, more shopping, more socializing, more cooking, etc. However, not all stress is bad. In fact, stress can be a good thing, because without it we can’t learn and grow as we move through life.

It is how you respond to the stress that will determine if the stress affects you in a negative way. (To learn more about the long-term affects of stress on your adrenal glands, click here.)

It is not so much about removing the stress, but rather how you decide to react to the stress you have. It is a matter of changing your mind-set. Easy to say, I know, but not always easy to put into place.

As you learn “let it go” and “go with the flow,” here are six tips for de-stressing and creating a routine of relaxation. Continue reading →

Digit Fidget: A Fun and Easy Way to Massage Your Whole Body

My family has been enjoying our new found device – “a digit fidget.” As you can see from the picture, it is a small woven wire ring that fits around your finger. As you role it slowly up and down each finger, the points from the wire gently massages your finger to relax and calm your whole body.

It is hard to believe, but it works amazingly well. We first discovered it this summer at a local store. The sales person told us that her boss uses it before presentations to help calm her nerves. Others use it to help relieve anxiety, ADHD, soreness, fatigue, the pain from arthritis, among other things.

From an energetic point of view, it really is massaging your entire body. We all have energy pathways running Continue reading →

Early Signs of a Leaky Gut and 8 Things You Can Do to Turn It Around

beautiful-blur-063Did you know that a leaky gut is typically the precursor to an autoimmune condition? And, that your body often presents you with early warning signs before a leaky gut actually occurs? It is important for you to recognize these signs in order to maintain optimal health.

A leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, causes your immune system to work overtime and can result in your body becoming nutrient deficient. Insufficiencies such as maldigestion and malabsorption then start to occur, which can result in inflammation.

Your gut is a great indicator. When you start to see changes for the worse, take notice. If you can make the necessary changes before your gut becomes truly leaky, you can often prevent other illnesses from occurring.

Some early warning signs of a leaky gut include: Continue reading →

How to Reduce Your Risk for Cancer – 7 Key Things to Consider in Your Daily Life

astroblu-216We are all susceptible to cancer. In fact, each of us has cancer cells in our body on a regular basis. If your immune system is strong, it keeps these cancer cells in check. The good news is that there are many things we can do to keep our immune system strong and help prevent cancer as well as other chronic illnesses.

Below are 7 key things to consider. Be sure to take the cancer quiz too (see inset below)!

1 – Reduce Your Toxins
Environmental toxicity is estimated to cause 3/4 of all cancers. Babies come into the world today with over 200 chemical toxins in their body and we continue to accumulate toxins throughout our lifetime.

It is critical to live a life as clean as possible, being aware of: Continue reading →

How Stress Affects Your Adrenal Glands

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Photo Credit: matthewcoughlin via Compfight cc

Most people do not think about their adrenal glands on a regular basis. However, whenever you get stressed, these two small glands work hard to support you.

This past month my adrenal glands have been in overdrive as we sold our old house and moved to a fixer-upper. We have been moving from room to room as a contractor works around us getting things in order. There are still boxes everywhere and work to be done.

One way to help overworked adrenals is to Continue reading →

Does Your Immune System Need a Little Help?

“Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.” – Author Unknown

Have you heard the most recent statistic? The flu shot this year has only been 23% effective. Many of those who got the flu shot are still getting sick with the flu.

If you have followed me for any length of time, you already know I am not a big fan of the flu shot. There are a number of reasons, but most importantly, the shot knocks down your immune system just when you need it the most.

There is also much discussion Continue reading →

Leaky Gut – Do You Have It?

Escherichia coli (public domain)

Hippocrates, the physician known as the father of western medicine, knew it years ago when he said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Today, having a “leaky gut” is more common than you think. Also known as intestinal permeability, leaky gut occurs when the lining of your intestinal track is compromised and allows toxic food particles, environmental chemicals, and bacterial waste to leak through the gut lining, causing problems in other parts of your body. Below we will look at the common triggers of a leaky gut as well as the many health issues that can result, including autoimmune disease which is closely linked to having a leaky gut. The good news it that a leaky gut can typically be corrected if you are willing to make the necessary changes. Included below are some steps you can start taking today. Continue reading →

Why to go Gluten-Free – Part 1

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             Photo Credit: Kaz1980 via Compfight cc

What is all the hype about gluten? Have you been wondering if you should start eating gluten-free? If you find that you have unexplainable health problems or multiple food sensitivities, you need to read this. More often than not, a person who is gluten-sensitive has seen an endless line of doctors with few results.

This two-part blog post will discuss the why’s and how’s of “going gluten-free.” In this article, I will discuss gluten in detail, explaining the various ways gluten can affect your health and well being. In Part 2, I will explain the steps to take as you remove gluten (and other culprit foods) from your diet. You will learn the many places that gluten can hide and be given suggested food replacements and menu ideas. Most people feel better when they remove gluten from their diet. However, if you are dealing with health issues, eating a gluten-free diet will accelerate the healing process. Removing gluten especially helps with digestive issues, allergies, brain-related issues, and autoimmune diseases, but there is so much more. Continue reading →