I spent the weekend with my two very beautiful daughters and granddaughter and family and friends in upper Michigan. As we sat around the fire pit watching the sun go down over my daughters lake we shared how none of us felt beautiful growing up. To others this may sound very strange as my daughters are drop dead gorgeous. My hope is that my granddaughter will always know and celebrate her beauty from her infant bald head to every beautiful roll in her body.
This year I will be sixty years old and feel and look better than I did in younger years. People often ask me what's my secret? I so hope you will join us tomorrow evening while I share the functional medicine wisdom that has allowed me to regain an optimal level of health, wellbeing and beauty from the inside out. We will discuss how to slow or even reverse what we attribute to aging. This is good for both men and women! This will be a small intimate discussion at Rise Well-Being Center in Reston, Virginia. You might be surprised with what you will discover!
If you have not been to Rise Well-Being Center it is well worth the visit. I teach yoga here 7:30am Wednesday mornings and Carpe Diem Dance at 10:00am. There are many great teachers and offerings from different movement classes, QiGong, Tai Chi and meditation to spiritual development and wonderful body work and holistic therapies all in a very beautiful consciously green setting.
PS
Save the date for June 9th for Love Your Body Day at Reston Town Center. I will be giving a short talk on Intermittent Fasting and will be sharing a booth with Tasty6 where you can sample part of our IF Kick-Start happening in June! Rise Well-Being Center will also have a booth there and there is free yoga all day in the pavilion. This is one of my favorite events!
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN-P, AFMC
Lisa is an author, functional nutrition and functional medicine trained health coach, yoga teacher, and retired Registered Nurse with the mission to "Inspire, Educate and Empower" individuals and corporations to achieve optimal health.
When she is not coaching, or speaking, you can find Lisa joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance or playing with her two grandchildren. She is the mother of four adult children and believes, "Optimal health should not be a secret."
A mentor of mine once said, "Everyone thinks that change is hard and takes a long time and a lot of effort. In reality, change only takes as long as you decide."
Think about this. Change only takes as long as you decide. How long does it take to make a commitment? Will you make a commitment to yourself? To your health? In an instant you can make the powerful commitment to change whatever it is you wish. How you do it is variable with infinite possibilities. Only you can decide to choose change when it comes to personal health and wellness.
You can make all kinds of excuses. You can listen to your internal ANTs, automatic negative thoughts. You can be paralyzed by your same old self limiting beliefs.
OR... You can make the bold courageous decision to change. You don't have to know or worry about how. That will come when you've made the commitment. That will come when you open your mind and heart to new possibilities.
Making a commitment changes the way you look at things. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
I've said it before. It is worth repeating.
The body is self healing and self repairing. If you will decide to get out of your own way.
When will you decide to change that which no longer serves you? When will you make a New Years Resolution that will stick? You know what doesn't work already. Will you open up your mind to new possibilities on what will work? Will you believe that change is possible? Are you willing to take personal responsibility? Or are you more comfortable in the victim role?
I saw one of my colleagues today at a conference on micronutrient testing. She and her husband participated in our Intermittent Fasting KickStart program before the holidays and have been practicing IF for the past month. Her husband at first complained at the cost. Now he loves it. One has a paleo diet. One has a vegan diet. One is a healthcare practitioner, the other a corporate vice president. Both use the supplemental juices and soups for nutrient dense, convenient prepared organic fuel. Both have more energy and improved moods. This is a good example of how one small step can yield big lasting results.
If your goal is to improve your physical and mental health, then commit to a 14 day program with us. 7 days of preparation and 7 days of supplemental support.
Commit to joining us this week with a live webinar on January 17th for delivery on January 24th. You may Register HERE.
Carpe Diem,
Lisa
PS Neck Back and Beyond scheduled a juice tasting for today, Sunday at 1pm weather permitting. This has been moved to Monday from 6-8pm. Email me to confirm if you are interested in attending.
This morning I woke up to my husband's snoring at 3:45 am. I used to have a lot of insomnia. Now, not so much. When I do wake up before "I should", I don't panic. Instead, I practice looking at life with more curiosity and less fear. I ask myself, "What is my body telling me? What is it that I'm needing and wanting?"
I worked 7 days this week and although I love what I do, I realized that I was needing time for me. This morning, I went outside, I danced in the moonlight, looked up, and saw a shooting star. A reminder that it was time to explore my own vast inner world. Time to exercise, to meditate and to write. It felt deeply nourishing.
Today is Columbus Day; a day to celebrate freedom. More than one of my clients have said, "I feel like a prisoner to my disease." There are more than 68,000 diagnosis codes in the ICD-10 International Classifications of Diseases that our modern medicine relies on for insurance reimbursement. That is a lot of labels of what's wrong with us. That's a lot of negative news. It's enough to make you anxious. Add in the radio and television ads like, "Do you have Gastric Esophageal Reflux Disease?" Translated to, are you eating fake food that is irritating your stomach? Or do you have so much stress that your body thinks it should be running away instead of digesting food? You can see how easy it is to get trapped in the "What's wrong with me?" mindset.
What if all these labels and signs and symptoms were merely a loving message from within signaling a need for change? A nudge to point to a new direction? Imagine what your life might look like if you used your inner compass for direction instead of fearful labels. Focus on where you want to go. Use the dis-ease as a buoy so you don't shipwreck your body. Use your dreams and desires as a lighthouse to sail towards.
When you are locked into labels, it is hard to see clearly. I find it fascinating that autoimmune disease is growing at an epidemic rate. This by definition, is failure to recognize self. It's a cry and reminder to pay attention to self. If you believe that the world is flat, then it's easy to fear going too far and falling off the end of the earth. Please do not become victim to self limiting beliefs and labels. Don't become so locked into your disease that you are covered in fog and cannot see the lighthouse.
If you know and believe that your body is self healing and self repairing then you are empowered to move in new directions. You are free to play and experiment with different choices. This can be the gift of the dis-ease, if you are open to new possibilities.
We hear a lot about "finding balance." Balance is not a static end point. It's more like a dance with a rhythm. Some days you may need a vinyasa practice or aerobic exercise, to run, punch a bag, or to dance. Other times your body may need deep rest and a meditative practice. We can get so locked in our "shoulds" that we lose touch with ourselves. See if you can find fluidity in your physical practice. See if you can practice self compassion on days when your body is needing deep rest. Don't worry, you won't sleep forever and you won't fall into the deep abyss, if you follow your heart.
Where do you practice freedom? Are you free to fully express yourself in your deepest relationships? Can you honor your unique thoughts, needs and desires enough to speak your truth? Being true to self takes courage in a world focused on conformity.
Free yourself from food myths and marketing. Food can be medicine or the same food can be another man's poison. We are all unique. Honor your unique body's needs and rhythms. Our genes have been adapting for as long as our existence, based on your stressors. What stress do you need to remove in order to fully digest and assimilate nutrition?
Diversity in the diet is the #1 practice you can do for longevity. Try a new food or recipe this week. Focus on feeling good without the need for addictive food or substances. Self medication is only sustainable for so long. Freedom may come by doing something radically different. Spend time fasting to give your gastrointestinal tract time to heal and repair. Or join us on October 25th to learn about and commit to an Intermittent Fasting KickStart. This is a great pre-holiday kickstart that is sustainable with supplemental juices, nut mylks, MCT shots, and soups to be delivered on November 1st, just after Halloween.
Take time today to enjoy nature, return to self and dare to explore the vast inner world of your unique body, mind and spirit. Focus on where you want to go and explore new ways to get there. Ask yourself what limiting belief is holding you back from obtaining your goals. No amount of medication or supplementation can compare to the power of practicing self love, compassion and self care. Go where no man has gone before. Dare to explore the vast world of infinite possibility within you.
Carpe Diem,
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, AFMC
Lisa is an author, functional nutrition, and functional medicine trained, health coach, yoga teacher, and retired Registered Nurse with the mission to inspire, educate and empower individuals and corporations to achieve optimal health.
When she is not coaching, or speaking, you can find Lisa joyfully sharing yoga and Carpe Diem Dance or playing with her two grandchildren. She is the mother of four adult children and believes, "Optimal health should not be a secret."
I just read a transformational book. It's interesting because several patients had recommended this book to me when I was Executive Director of an Integrative Wellness Program for a cancer clinic. They were surprised that I had not read the book, as it is very much in line with my philosophy and each reported that it was transformational for them. I finally took the time to read it. I love real stories by real people.
This is a story of a woman who had a near death experience (NDE) and shares her lessons from it. I will try my best to share my summary and commentary of Dying to be Me, with you.
Anita Moorjani had been treated for four years with stage 4 lymphoma. Bedridden and dependent on others for basic care, she was admitted to a local hospital in a coma. Doctors were preparing the family for her passing when she found herself outside of her body. She describes the same blissful, forgiving state that others with a NDE report.
What was striking to me about the book is the severity of her medical condition, how her recovery defied conventional medicine, and the resultant power of the mind and the spirit. I've been taught (and believe) that we are more than just our physical body. We have an energetic and breath body, a mental/emotional body, an intuitive body and a spiritual body. We are far greater than each of these individual pieces. Yoga is a tool where you can experience and foster unity of these disparate bodies. Many live primarily in the mental body and are therefore blind to their magnificence and power.
Through her NDE, Anita experiences unconditional love and acceptance and discovers the importance of non-judgment, self love and self-care. These can feel like foreign concepts. Rarely in our society is this modeled and taught. Instead we are taught to believe "The war on cancer" which becomes a war self. We are taught to believe in "no pain, no gain" and to encourage self-sacrifice. We do not teach self love. What I frequently say is,
"Ask not what is wrong with your body. Ask what's right? What
loving message is your body telling you? Could your migraine be saying to take a break and deep breath, hydrate and nourish yourself, or to pop a pill and power through? The more we ignore our signs and symptoms, the louder and more serious they become."
Anita describes her epiphany on why she believes she developed cancer (in her unique case). She was able to heal by having the courage to be herself. This came from recognizing her magnificence and her power to heal. She heard,
"Now that you know the truth about who you really are, go back and live your life fearlessly."
I firmly believe that our bodies are self loving and self healing.
Anita states that fear is the cancer. This was the topic of a video interview with myself and Dr. Debbie Norris of The Mindfulness Center several years ago as we were brainstorming on how to best support cancer prevention and recovery. Dr. Norris is offering a workshop on Mind Body for Cancer for both caregivers as well as those with cancer on July 20th-21st. It is free for those with cancer and well worth attending.
Our current medical system can be disempowering and fear promoting. We depend on external measurements to tell us how we are doing. We are not taught to trust our intuition and inner wisdom. We get stuck in the negative thought of "What's wrong with me" and we somehow feel relieved to get a diagnosis, which is merely a label. Your diagnosis or labels have nothing to do with inner healing.
What is refreshing and liberating about Anita's story is proof of the power to heal from within. Anita's doctors could not explain her spontaneous remission with their diagnostic tools. I've written before about Dr. Kelly Turner's research and book on Radical Remissions and the nine common factors for healing. Three of the powerful interventions involves: taking control of your health, following your intuition, and deepening your spiritual connection.
Believe in the power to heal from within, no matter whether your issue is insomnia, acne, depression, hormonal issues, cardiovascular or autoimmune disease, diabetes, or cancer. Know that you have the power to heal and that it is your job to love yourself unconditionally. Know that there is unconditional love for you (even if this has not been modeled for you).
Stop the guilt, stop the shame, stop beating yourself up for whatever reason. Forgive yourself and others, ditch the urge to judge, and heal.
This is what Anita writes,
"When we're aware of our own magnificence, we don't feel the need to control others, and we won't allow ourselves to be controlled. When I awoke into my infinite self, I was amazed to understand that my life could be dramatically different just by realizing that I am love, and I always have been. I don't have to do anything to deserve it. Understanding this means that I'm working with life-force energy, whereas performing at being loving is working against it. Realizing that I am love was the most important lesson I learned, allowing me to release all fear, and that's the key that saved my life."
Logo on My Favorite New T-Shirt
She further writes,
"I now live my life from joy instead of from fear. Before, without even realizing it, everything I did was to avoid pain or to please other people. I was caught up in doing, pursuing, searching, and achieving; and I was the last person I ever took into consideration. My life was driven by fear--of displeasing others, of failing, of being selfish, and of not being good enough. In my own head, I always fell short.
.....I don't worry anymore about trying to get things right or complying with rules or doctrines. I just follow my heart and know that I can't go wrong when I do so. Ironically, I end up pleasing more people than my old self ever did, just because I'm so much happier and more liberated!"
...The process of allowing happens by first trusting, and then by always being true to who I am."
My challenge for you for the next week or two is to really contemplate everything that you do for yourself. Do you look at yourself lovingly in the mirror? Is your self talk full of loving affirmations, or judgment and criticism? If the latter, can you delete the need to beat yourself up?
What do you admire about yourself? Are you making loving choices on what you are putting into your body? Or are you afraid of social isolation if you refuse alcohol or eat differently from the SAD standard American diet? Do you allow yourself time to rest, repair or to just be?
Even if you are not in your ideal body, what do you love about yourself?
Sit with that and work on making small incremental steps to change that which you do not love. Our dis-ease can be a loving messenger. Focus on how you want to feel first, then take loving action so you can be the best for self and others.
Last, Anita writes,
"We're all co-creating this world and our lives within it through our emotions, thoughts and actions."
Now THAT's empowering!
Carpe Diem,
With Love,
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, AFMC
Lisa is an author, functional nutrition and functional medicine trained health coach, yoga teacher, and retired Registered Nurse with the mission to "Inspire, Educate and Empower" individuals and corporations to achieve optimal health.
When she is not coaching, or speaking, you can find Lisa joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance or playing with her two grandchildren. She is the mother of four adult children and believes, "Optimal health should not be a secret."
Apparently health guidelines and legal guidelines are two different things...
Chromium (hexavalent), which is linked to cancer, liver damage and damage to reproductive system is one of the 10 contaminants found above health limits.
Remember Erin Brockovich? This is the same chemical from the movie.
My point is not to scare the sh%t out of you. Yes, it's important to point out that we are all exposed to toxins on a daily basis, so we don't stick our heads in the sand. It's important to know if you DO get cancer, that the first thing you must do is look at root causes, heal your gastrointestinal tract, and detoxify yourself.
Do not waste emotional energy pointing fingers of blame or shame. Instead, get educated and empowered by making small and significant changes.
Per this article, get a water filter, or do what I do which is get bottled water delivered from deep in the Ozarks from Mountain Valley Water.
Know that chemicals in our food and water disrupt the gastrointestinal normal flora and weakens the immune system. If you have gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea or digestive issues, ignore the stupid ads on the radio and TV about needing to see your doctor for the latest pharmaceutical bandaid.
Instead, consult with someone who has actually studied nutrition! I know it's a novel idea, but an idea whose time has certainly come.
It is hard for me not to get angry. I get angry every time I consult with someone who has struggled for decades with chronic dis-ease and has five specialists and 10 medications and no one...NO one has given them any constructive advice or support in uncovering the root cause of their dis-ease. As I said in my last post, the root cause is always unique for each individual. This is why the Evolution of Medicine is upon us. Functional diagnostic testing and functional medicine can help you uncover the root cause of your dis-ease. As I tell my clients, we can guess, or we can test.
In the case of water, I assume all municipal tap water has chlorine and flouride that compete with iodine essential for healthy thyroid function. At a minimum, get a water filter that can filter these two chemicals.
The Environmental Working Group has several resources to help you with this major public health issue.
I've written blog posts before about the importance of water HERE and the importance of drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of clean filtered water. We all deserve clean water, free from carcinogens. I hope this post will ensure that you and your family get it. Yesterday, I met with a frustrated new client saying, "Why me? My diet is healthier than all of my friends." It's what we don't know that can kill us, both in business and in our own health.
My hope is that this educates, inspires, and empowers you on what you can do to ensure the health of yourself and your family.
Have a joyful weekend.
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN-P, AFMC
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and a functional medicine coach with a mission to inspire, educate, and empower, clients towards optimal wellbeing.
She is the former Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
Lisa is founder of the Wellness Inspired Network and Carpe Diem Wellness and part of the Functional Forum and Evolution of Medicine, and the New Self Health Movement. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
Last year I completed the coursework to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. This allows me to help you find the root cause of your dis-ease so that you can become your own best advocate. After all, no one knows your body better than you do. To quote Dr. Jeffrey Bland, the Father of Functional Medicine,
"The origin of the disease is always unique."
This I know for sure. Ten clients could have the same diagnosis and have ten different root causes. So how do we expect that one pill is going to reverse illness and rebuild health? It doesn't. It will merely mask the symptoms so you feel better and hope that your body heals itself. Hence the title of this blogpost Healing From Within.
"Your body's self healing and self repairing, if you can just get out of your own way."
Functional Diagnostic testing helps you do that. So does the D.R.E.S.S. for Success Program addressing Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress reduction and Supplementation customized to you after identifying your HIDDEN stressors. Together, we identify Stressors caused by imbalances in your Hormones, Immune system, Diet, Detoxification capacity, Energy production and Nervous system. We then use fundamental principles to rebuild health.
So what is Functional Medicine? This is the evolution of medicine. I can't tell you how many of my clients see multiple physicians, and have multiple diagnoses and labels, each given multiple medications, to manage their dis-ease.
In my former clinic, I would see patients with Crohn's disease, or stomach cancer, or iron deficiency anemia (and witness) not one physician (from well known institutions) recommending a change in diet to alleviate symptoms. One of my favorite patients had had 5 bowel resections and had been bleeding for 10 years requiring regular iron infusions and b12 shots. I asked him if anyone had suggested he go on a gluten free diet. He replied
"No, but I've read about that and have considered it myself."
I gave him my Kick-Start to Wellness Guidebook with recipes and 3 weeks later received an email from him. For the first time in 10 years he stopped bleeding and his hematocrit and hemoglobin (H&H) blood levels rose. H&H measures the amount of oxygen in your blood, when low you may get a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. A prime example of how health begins in the gut.
To quote the Institute of Functional Medicine,
"Functional Medicine asks how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root cause of disease for each individual."
How many times have you gone to the doctor, received a diagnosis and a prescription drug and told to just exercise more and lose weight? What's wrong with this picture? First of all, if it were as simple as this, you would have done it already. A Functional Medicine Practitioner helps you uncover the hidden internal and external stressors that is keeping you stuck.
In fact, most of my clients need to do just the opposite. Most need to exercise less and eat more healthy fat. This is not a typo. Despite the recent hoopla on the news, coconut oil does have benefit and (healthy) fat will not make you fat. Understanding that cholesterol is the essential precursor to your sex and metabolic hormones as well as the lining of your cellular membranes is key to changing these old medical myths.
So in a nutshell, this is what I do. I help you uncover what your unique body needs. We then co-create a plan to replete digestive and nutritional insufficiencies, eliminate hidden internal and external toxins, and help you prioritize you so your unique body will do what it naturally does...heal from within.
Carpe Diem and enjoy this glorious weekend!
With Love & Gratitude,
Lisa Jackson,
About Lisa Jackson RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN-P, AFMC
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and a functional medicine coach with a mission to inspire, educate, and empower, clients towards optimal wellbeing.
She is the former 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 Functional Forum and Evolution of Medicine, the New Self Health Movement and the founder of the Wellness Inspired Network and Carpe Diem Wellness. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
My mission is to inspire wellness and empower you with education so you can trust and believe in the power to heal from within. Yesterday I completed my certification in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. This is a complete program to teach you how to identify hidden stressors while building health through fundamental principles. We don't treat, diagnose or cure you. In fact, no one can cure you. Your body cures itself, if you follow fundamental principles of building health.
We merely help you identify and remove the roadblocks.
One big roadblock to optimal health is fear. There is nothing so fearful in our society today than a cancer diagnosis. I know this intimately well. I started this blogpost after my daughter was diagnosed with lymphoma over 5 years ago. My goal is to help turn fear and overwhelm into empowerment.
Now her husband, Brad at 35 years old, has been diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer with metastasis to the lung, liver and the spine. It is very hard not to be in fear mode. I'm told that I can't possibly know this fear. What I do know is to find peace and joy, you have to overcome fear. To heal and repair, you have to move from "fight or flight" to "rest and repair." (See previous post)
Brad and Dana have started a website that includes a podcast that was originally started to discuss fear that interferes with the goal of fully living an authentic life. It was based on the movie. "Defending your Life"
Little did they know that Brad would indeed be defending his life. www.defendingyourlife.us
Every moment of every day we have choices on how to live our life. We can react out of fear or respond out of love. There can be tough choices that feel scary. There are so many conflicting thoughts and opinions. In the conventional world there are three tools, surgery, radiation and pharmaceutical drugs. The alternative world preaches radical changes in nutrition, detoxification, meditation and self-healing modalities. My goal is to bridge the gap.
You cannot create war on yourself and war on the body without rebuilding health as the foundation. (see previous post). My daughters oncologist said, "Getting rid of cancer is the easy part, keeping it gone and rebuilding health, is the challenge." This is why we must change the terrain that allows cancer to grow. We must detoxify the body, heal the gut and build up the immune system.
This is not about diet or deprivation. We must overcome this "no pain, no gain" mentality. Optimal health can and must be decadent and delicious or we will not stick with it. In today's fast pace world, we need support to "rest and digest."
Optimal Health is not complicated
How do you prioritize time for your own self healing? This is difficult when you are busy fighting in the war on cancer. Our pharmaceutical healthcare system is not set up to support rebuilding health. It does not pay for functional medicine testing, for health coaching, supplements, yoga or meditation. It does not yet recognize these vital fundamental principles to support a strong foundation for healing.
When Dana was diagnosed, we took a leap of faith and went to Arizona to an integrative program. My fear was that she would not survive chemotherapy in the winter in Detroit at 5'10" and 110 pounds. I believe we were right. Dana radically changed her diet and underwent multiple therapies including a few weeks of low dose chemotherapy. She got a clean Pet scan in 10 weeks. The proof is in the pudding. Unfortunately, none of it was covered by her insurance. We paid $70,000 out of pocket. We were fortunate to have this available.
Every cancer patient has the same dilemma. They can do everything in their power with conventional medicine to kill the cancer, but how to rebuild health? Unfortunately, our healthcare system is only based on killing cancer through surgery, radiation and drugs.
Health building strategies are not covered. Supplements, organic juices and food, bodywork, yoga, meditation, infrared, hyperbaric oxygen, nutritional IV therapy, detoxification methods, are all considered "value add" "nice to have" and not covered by insurance. I pray for the day when we have freedom of choice on how we spend our healthcare dollars.
In the meantime, my twin sister has started a new business and she and her partner are donating a percentage of their profits to helping others. Next Friday we are having a celebration to her business and fundraiser for Brad. As a reader, I invite you to join us, (but please RSVP!).
I've never asked for something from my followers. But it's the end of the year, if you are looking to give a personal gift please consider one for Brad. http://www.defendingyourlife.us/contribute.html
Here's a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh's book,
Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
Without fear, we are able to see more clearly our connections to others.
Without fear, we have more room for understanding and communication.
Without fear, we are truly free.
Here's to courageous warriors who can take the Road Less Traveled.
Namaste. With Love & Gratitude,
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
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.
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. We need adequate darkness and sleep to heal and repair.
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.
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.
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.
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
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.
Lisa is an author, functional nutrition and functional medicine trained health coach, yoga teacher, and retired Registered Nurse with the mission to "Inspire, Educate and Empower" individuals and corporations to achieve optimal health.
