We humans are complex. We, like nature are not linear. We are
multi-dimensional. We are also like snowflakes. No two of us are exactly
alike. So why do we think that there is one diet, one treatment, one
solution that cures all?
The United States spends more money on
healthcare than the next 15 countries combined. Yet, we are one of the sickest
countries on the planet. Chronic disease in the United States is
epidemic. Cancer is the number one killer for those under 65. Heart disease is
number one for 65 and older.
Dr. Deborah Norris, PhD says we are the only country that looks at
cancer like a death threat. I concur. The biggest threat to health and wellbeing is the
fear surrounding the diagnosis. Both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda
view cancer as fear stuck in the body. Some ascertain that kidney dis-ease
is stuck anger. We are, in fact, energetic beings.
The good news of course, is that there are many ways to heal. The beauty of committing to work with a health coach is that it affords you the opportunity to explore the many different options available. It affords you time and space to explore what your unique body needs. It’s necessary for personalized health care.
Conventional medicine is a linear model. Optimal
healthcare is multi-dimensional. You can eat all the broccoli in the world
and still self-destruct with pent up anger and emotions. Fear keeps us
stuck in “fight or flight” mode or sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
overdrive.
See the photo from my book:
As I’ve said so many times before, it is physiologically
impossible to heal and repair while we are in the sympathetic nervous
system. The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest and digest” or
“mate and ovulate” mode. It is literally like a light switch, you are in one or
the other. We need both. We need both light and darkness. If our light is too bright, we are blinding. If our
flame is too big, we burn out.
To reduce the fear and mystery around cancer and disease, let's
simply look at the body like an automobile. As I write this, I am here in
Detroit with my daughter and son-in-law, so it makes sense to do so. This is a
functional approach and the wave of our healthcare future. Each part is
connected to the other and serves a function in the body.
The kidney, the liver and the lungs are like the fuel filter and
carburetor. They keep the engine (body) clean and running. Food and
oxygen are like the gasoline you put into the car. Engines can run
on different types of fuel. They are built differently. You need diesel fuel
for a diesel engine. The car cannot run without a fuel filter. It will sputter
and spit and eventually stop running. It doesn’t matter how hard you press on
the accelerator. Eventually it will not go. A car that has a stuck
accelerator (stuck in SNS drive) will either run out of gas or crash
and burn. This sometimes is called adrenal stress and fatigue.
Nutrition is NOT the food you eat. It is what is absorbed. If you
have a hole in your gas tank (aka leaky gut or intestinal permeability), it
doesn’t matter what you eat. Not only does the gas not get to the engine, it
can create other problems in the car. Gas on a hot engine can create a fire.
Same with the human body. Food and chemicals that get into the bloodstream
create inflammation in the body. The body sends cholesterol and iron to the
bloodstream (the highway) to put out the fire. Cholesterol and iron are
the firemen and are markers of inflammation that you can monitor in blood
tests. Elevated homocysteine is another (blood test) inflammatory
marker and is also a sign of needing more vitamin b12 and folate (gasoline) in
the diet.
This is new medicine. This is the new paradigm. Neither I nor most doctors were taught nutrition in nursing or medical schools. Functional medicine is beginning to change that. Functional Diagnostic Nutritionists are
trained to do functional tests to look for subclinical hidden stressors in the
body.
Often you can see evidence of erosion long before you get an actual hole in metal (and the body). The earlier the detection, the easier the prevention.
Often you can see evidence of erosion long before you get an actual hole in metal (and the body). The earlier the detection, the easier the prevention.
For instance, an elevated MCV(mean corpuscle volume), or the size
of your red blood cell is also a clinical sign of the need for essential nutrients,
again vitamins B12 and folate. Anything over 90 is suboptimal. It is also
subclinical, meaning it won’t be flagged on the test result, so your
doctor or nurse may not recognize this important healing opportunity
for you.
Education is empowerment. Understanding the functions of the human
body can empower you to be your own healthcare advocate and healthcare
detective.
Why is folate (not to be confused with synthetic folic acid) and
vitamin B12 important? The body uses them for energy production and detoxification. They are actually
produced and assimilated in the gut (the gas tank and the fuel lines). The body
eats them up when you are under stress. Signs and symptoms of deficiency
include anxiety, depression, brain fog, neuropathy and more. Don’t waste your
money on cheap vitamins that have folic acid in them. Look for
bio-available forms like methyl-tetrahydrofolate or methyl-cobalamin
instead. This is fuel that the body can actually use. Folate is necessary to
prevent miscarriages. It is also necessary for energy production and
detoxification. You need it to make the car run. Folate deficiency has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive dysfunction and birth defects. [1]
Some people have a genetic snp where you cannot
convert synthetic folic acid to folate. This can add to toxicity in the body.
It can clog your fuel filter. If your fuel filter backs up, so does your carburetor. It effects your liver.
The liver, the lungs, the kidneys and the skin are your major
detoxification organs. When they are clogged, this indicates toxicity
in the body. These are your warning lights on the dashboard. This is your
wake up call. This may mean the wrong fuel or
needing some additives (or supplements) to make the fuel more efficient. It may mean an oil and filter change to clean out the system (detoxification).
This is why the power on your plate is profound.
You also need the right fuel mix for optimal performance. If you
are under stress and in fight or flight mode, you do not produce
the necessary stomach acid required for B12 and iron absorption. Almost
all of our patients who have iron deficiency anemia are taking proton pump inhibitors.
These also prevent the body from secreting stomach acid which you also need to break
down proteins into amino acids (in addition to B12 and iron absorption). You need amino
acids for growth and repair.
Can you now see the direct connection in your thoughts (fear) and
your ability to heal and repair? Our thoughts are like the master control that control the functions in the body.
Breath, like air, is also essential to the right fuel mix in the gasoline to make the body and car run.
Breath, like air, is also essential to the right fuel mix in the gasoline to make the body and car run.
The body follows the mind. The mind follows the breath. (Cancer
cells are anaerobic, they live without oxygen and feed on sugar, like
fermentation. Oxygenate the body to kill them.)
1.
Change your breathing patterns to consciously change your mind and
your body.
2.
Drink clean filtered water.
3.
Eat the right diet for your unique body. Eat clean fuel,
free from toxins, pesticides, fungicides and GMOs so you don't gum up your
systems.
Simple solutions.
Carpe Diem.
With Love & Gratitude,
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500
She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
Spot on Lisa, I totally agree with your wisdom and sharing. So much of what we can do to stay healthy and prevent cancer is simple and common sense: it's not easy and takes consistent focused effort. Bottom line is the rewards are huge and within our grasp and we can't sit around wondering if we should take action. It's now or never!
ReplyDeleteSpot on Lisa, I totally agree with your wisdom and sharing. So much of what we can do to stay healthy and prevent cancer is simple and common sense: it's not easy and takes consistent focused effort. Bottom line is the rewards are huge and within our grasp and we can't sit around wondering if we should take action. It's now or never!
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