Tag Archives: toxins

Health Triggers – Become Your Own Health Detective

UPDATED: I first wrote this article in 2017, but it is worth readdressing after the last couple of years since new and unusually health triggers have been introduced.

Did you know that most diseases take an average of 8 to 12 years to develop? Autoimmune Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, MS. . . . and, yes, even cancer. Even chronic conditions like asthma, allergies, or histamine intolerance are often developed over time. 

Most people will have a hint that something is wrong long before a diagnosis. You may have insomnia for months or even years. You may have heartburn and/or indigestion when you eat certain foods. You may have constant diarrhea or constipation, or even gas and bloating after eating. You may have unexplainable skin issues or constant headaches or brain fog. You may have a nagging pain or feeling of anxiety that won’t go away.

These are just some of the signs that something is wrong. It is when these little things show up, when you find your life is out of balance, that you need to take notice. Your body is magnificently designed and it talks to you on a regular basis. Pay attention to it. And, pay attention to the health triggers in your life.

What Are Health Triggers?

A health trigger is anything that pushes you over the edge of being healthy one day and then not feeling well, either the next day or weeks or months later. Since each of us is unique, this trigger will be different for everyone.

There may be multiple triggers. Certain triggers, like toxins and EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies), can accumulate in the body over time. Then, suddenly, a new trigger is introduced that seems to “push you over the edge” into not feeling well.

Looking for health triggers in your life can be the difference between staying healthy and getting sick. The sooner you recognize a trigger and modify and/or remove it the better.

Health triggers can include any of the following: Continue reading →

Eliminate Allergies Once and For All

Did you know that you can reduce and eliminate allergies? Allergies are often a result of other stressors on the body. Our bodies are incredible; however, they can only take so much. Over time, bad foods, toxin exposure, continuous stress, lack of sleep, and other things take a toll on our health.

When your immune system is compromised, it becomes more sensitive and reacts to certain irritants, which otherwise would not affect you. Allergies are your body’s response to these irritants. The symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that it needs extra support. Whether you have food allergies, airborne allergies, and/or seasonal allergies, read on to determine how you can relieve symptoms naturally and/or to conquer them once and for all. Continue reading →

Can Your Mask Be Hurting You? What You Need to Know.

UPDATE 2020: A new negative affect of wearing masks for extended periods has come to light, this time from dentists who are beginning to see more cavities and gum disease since the higher use of masks. Dentists share my concern of continually breathing in your own microbes. We all have them in our mouths – they are an extension of your gut’s microbiome. If your microbiome is out of balance and you have more bad bacteria in your mouth than good bacteria, you could be making matters worse by wearing a mask and breathing through your mouth. If you have been wearing your mask for extended periods and you know you have potential dental issues, you may want to schedule a dentist appointment and get your teeth and gums checked out. In the mean time, breath through your nose when wearing a mask. See additional tips below.

Now that more and more cities, town and states are requiring masks in public places, I wanted to put out a few words of caution. The science is still not clear. Is a mask really beneficial? Does it truly prevent the spread of the virus? Can it cause more harm than good?

It is confusing, especially when the experts and government officials give us conflicting information, first telling us that masks were not necessarily protective and now telling us the opposite.* The truth may lay somewhere in between. And, it may depend on various factors.

As masks are required to work, go to school and be in public, it is time to consider some downsides of wearing masks, especially for longer periods of time. They can potentially hurt you. I am even more concerned about our children as they go back to school. I will explain below the possible negative effects and provide suggestions to minimize potential problems. 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 →

Deeper Healing. . . and Meeting My Heroes

A couple of months ago I was fortunate to be able to attended a conference in New Jersey called the “Lyme Light Mastermind Conference.” I met a few of my greatest holistic health heroes and mentors as they presented and I learned the latest tools for persistent Lyme Disease cases and other “deeper” illnesses. I also met a wide variety of practitioners who came from around the country and the world. (As an added bonus, I was able to catch up with a college friend I had not seen in years.)

The health heroes included:

  • Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt – A medical doctor who has been practicing for over 30 years both in the US and Europe as well as founded multiple health clinics and educational academies. Using autonomic response testing (ART – like muscle testing but much more), he has been able to help people with some of the most difficult health challenges including Lyme disease and autism. He continues to be a pioneer in the field of holistic health using all types of therapies and modalities.
  • Dr. Joseph Mercola – A trained osteopath and board-certified family doctor who learned years ago that the body can be healed using natural methods. He started one of the first on-line health and wellness blogs, which is still one of the most popular today, and written several books. You can check his blog out out at www.mercola.com.
  • Dr. Zach Bush – A triple board-certified physician who also previously helped to develop chemotherapies, he now dedicates his time to researching and educating people about human health and longevity. He has much insight into the dangers of glyphosate and GMOs after having researched and tested them for years. He and his team also created a great gut product called RESTORE.
  • Dr. Lee Cowden – Board certified cardiologist and internest who incorporates integrative medicine in his practice. Practicing since 1984, he has pioneered successful treatments for Lyme disease, cancer, autism and much more. He had authored several books and is known for his “Cowden Protocol.”

I have been following the work of these exceptional people for a while now, some for many years. To see, meet, and learn from them all in one weekend was a rare opportunity!

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 →

Good Fats and Oils – Learn Which Ones to Use and Why

Despite what you have been led to believe, we need to eat fats. In fact, most people should include healthy fats at every meal. The key word being “healthy.”

For years, fats, oils and fatty foods were given a bad rap. We were told that fats were bad for us. We were told to eat low-fat and no-fat foods. We were told to eat lean meats only. We were told to eat man-made fats like margarine and processed cheese instead of pure fats like butter and cheese made from real, whole-fat milk.

Many people in the United States followed this advice. Yet as a whole we did not get healthier. Continue reading →

Help Your Body Naturally Detox – Six Things You Can Do Starting Today

We are bombarded with toxins on a daily basis. From the foods we eat to the products we put on our body and the air we breath, chemicals and other toxins find their way into our bodies, our organs, and our cells. Even our thoughts and emotions create toxins.

The good news is that our body has naturally defense mechanisms that help eliminate some of these toxins. Continue reading →

Pool Chemicals – How to Protect Your Kids

2 - POOLYou and your kids have been swimming all summer. What do you do about the chemicals in the pool water? The first step is to swim in an outdoor pool so at least you are not inhaling the chlorine fumes.

Yet, pool chemicals also enter the body through the skin. They are known to alter hormone levels, increase respiratory disorders like asthma and allergies, and create gut flora imbalance. Continue reading →

Know Your Pesticides – The Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen by EWG

1“... children are much more sensitive and vulnerable to chemicals than adults are.”
― Dr. Philip Landrigan, MD (Dean for Global Health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City)

If you are not yet familiar with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and their food lists, you should check them out. Known as the “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean Fifteen,” these lists help you to minimize your pesticide intake. Continue reading →

Are You Prepared for Allergy Season?

102“If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.” ― Deepak Chopra

Allergy season is almost here.

In Nashville, we have been having lots of rain too, which means that mold spores are also high. This will make allergy season even worse for some.

However, there is hope. 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 →

What’s Lurking in Your Bath and Body Products?

3163752268_89243ae90dPhoto Credit: -mrsraggle- via Compfight ©

I had a client this past month, actually a family of four, that found out that the bathroom wipes they were using were recalled because they contained Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia), a bacteria known to cause respiratory issues. The Mom was beside herself. The whole family came in to get screened and the bacteria was showing up in two of the family members. They thought they had an ongoing cold, but within a few days of being on the correct immune-building protocol, they were feeling better.

This scenario may be a little more extreme, but did you know that there are toxic ingredients in many of the bath and body products you use on a daily basis? This includes shampoo, soap, lotion, deodorant, sunscreen, perfumes/colognes, toothpaste, baby powder, wipes, nail polish, hand sanitizer, etc. 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 →