Category: Healing Modalities

Tools used to Spiral Up to a higher frequency of well-being

Seven Body n Mind Supplements


The body n mind dynamic works both ways.

If the body isn’t getting what it needs, then neither is the mind.

1.  Quality Multivitamins

 

Vitamin companies buy raw materials to produce their products so it is the quality of these raw materials that makes the difference between a good multivitamin and a bad one.

Some companies use deceptive marketing  and  mark up inferior products.  Also, some supplements do not contain what is on the label.   A recent paper was published on ten over-the-counter Vitamin D supplements.  None had the dose of vitamin D that was listed on the label!        

 

What to look for in your multivitamin:

  •  B12 should be in the form of “methylcobalamin” or “hydroxocobalamin.”   If it is “cyanocobalamin” you are wasting your money on an inferior form of B12.
  • Vitamin A should come from “mixed carotenoids” which is its natural form.
  • Vitamin E should come from “mixed tocopherols” or the 4 tocopherols should be listed as alpha, gamma, delta and beta. If it is only “alpha tocopherol” then you are actually harming your body and increasing your risk of heart attack and cancer.
  • Folic acid should be present as “folate” and not “folic acid.” If it says folic acid then you are significantly increasing your risk of cancer.
  •  Magnesium should be in the form of “glycinate.” Most multi’s use “oxide” which is the lowest quality form of magnesium and is not absorbed well.
  • B6 should be in the form of “pyridoxal-5-phosphate” which is the active form of B6.
  • Vitamin D should be in the form of “cholecalciferol” and not “ergocalciferol.”
  • Other minerals such as zinc, manganese, selenium, calcium etc. are best absorbed in a “chelated” form.

Dr. Nik Hedberg recommends the “Twice Daily Multi” from Designs for Health as a basic multivitamin. Companies like Designs For Health can guarantee that everything listed on the label is actually in the product in its fully bio-available form.

 

2. Fish Oil

Improved mood ( read body n mind…. and less depression), optimal fat-burning, increased energy, better brain function (most of the brain is made of DHA…yep body n mind again!), optimal hormone metabolism, proper immune system function and healthy detoxification.

Fish oil reduces inflammation in the body – so everything works better. Fish oil is important for optimal hormonal health. Hormones must communicate with your cells for specific functions in the body. Fish oil optimizes this communication so hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormone can work their magic. Hormone replacement should not be considered until essential fatty acid status is optimized

Fish oil contains essential fatty acids known as EPA & DHA.  These oils ensure there is a constant flow of nutrients, hormones, water, electrolytes, toxins etc. in and out of your cells. This flow determines how healthy you are.

Are all fish oils created equal?  Definitely not!  There are two forms of fish oil available today – triglyceride and ethyl ester forms. Most oils today are in the ethyl ester form is because the cost is less than the triglyceride form.

  • The ethyl-ester form is produced by heating fish oil under a vacuum and the fatty acids are bound to ethanol. This results in a “semi-synthetic” form of oil which is labeled “omega-3 fish oil concentrate.”
  • Triglycerides are the natural form of fats found in food sources. This form is less prone to oxidation. Triglyceride forms of fish oil are much better absorbed and do not require the same level of digestion in the body. The result is 50% higher plasma levels of EPA and DHA. Triglyceride forms of fish oil also last much longer than ethyl ester forms due to their resilience to oxidation.

Fish oil is a supplement you don’t want to be cheap about. Some fish oils contain toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic as well as environmental toxins. Be sure that you are taking the cleanest, purest form of fish oil available.

3. Iodine

Iodine can save your life!

Iodine is vital for the following processes in the body:  

• Growth • Use of Energy & Oxygen • Heat Production (cold hands and feet anyone?)

• Fertility (combined with vitamin D works like a charm)

• The use of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, electrolytes, and water

• Immune system function in the intestine

 

Iodine can be beneficial in the following conditions:  

• Hypothyroidism

• Fibrocystic Breasts

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

• Goiter • Breast Cancer

• Thyroid Nodules

• Prostate Health

Iodine is essential for the thyroid and other body tissues. The breast requires iodine to be healthy and women with fibrocystic breast disease have been shown to have low iodine.

Iodine enters the thyroid gland and combines with the amino acid tyrosine to make thyroid hormone. In order for iodine to enter the thyroid gland you must have a healthy transport mechanism which is optimized with vitamin C and magnesium. It has been shown that 3,000mg of vitamin C every day will repair the iodine transport mechanism.

Most Americans do not get enough iodine because it is no longer in our food. Iodized salt is not adequate because it does not provide the right type of iodine and it does not contain enough for optimal function. Additionally,  iodine is a powerful antioxidant which is vital for reducing inflammation in the whole body.

There are two forms of iodine that should be ingested:

1. Iodide – Iodide mainly travels into the thyroid gland to provide all of its benefits for your metabolism to make sure you are burning fat, producing heat etc.

2. Iodine – Molecular iodine mainly travels to the other tissues of the body such as the breast, ovaries and prostate gland.

Most of the supplements out there only have iodide which will only help the thyroid, but not the rest of the body.

Iodine should not be taken if you have autoimmune thyroid disease such as Hashimoto’s or Grave’s disease! Make sure that you know this before you begin supplementation because it can have devastating effects on the thyroid gland. You will find many, many websites on the internet telling you that iodine is good for autoimmune thyroid and this is tragic.

Dr. Nik Hedberg recommends a product known as Iosol which is a blend of iodide and iodine.

How much should you take? Each drop of Iosol contains 1.8mg of iodine and iodide. Begin taking 1 drop/day for a week, then increase to 2 drops/day for a week and then maintain at 3 drops/day.  

 

4. Magnesium

  • Magnesium is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body and is required for over 300 regulatory enzymes.
  • Magnesium is an important mineral for those with heart disease, diabetes, depression (yep, there’s that body n mind thing again, migraines, tension headaches, eclampsia and asthma.
  • Magnesium is involved in the metabolism of brain chemicals that affect your mood such as feeling depressed or anxious. It is required for muscle relaxation, bone metabolism, and optimal calcium levels which is important for bone health.
  • Magnesium has been shown by itself to increase bone density without calcium supplementation. Calcium directly competes with the absorption and therefore leads to magnesium deficiency. Magnesium actually blocks the uptake of calcium thus it’s name, “nature’s calcium channel blocker.”  Millions of women are told to take calcium for their bones (which by the way doesn’t do anything) only to deplete themselves of magnesium– which is much more important for bone health than calcium!
  • Magnesium is indirectly involved in every enzymatic reaction in the body because it is required for energy production.
  • Magnesium is required for carbohydrate, protein and fat-burning in the cell.
  • Virtually every hormone in your body requires magnesium to function properly.
  • Magnesium plays an important role in electrolyte balance. Nerves cannot fire efficiently and muscles cannot contract properly without magnesium.
In addition to calcium, birth control pills and hormone replacement also deplete the body of magnesium. Toxic metals such as lead and cadmium deplete the body of magnesium as well. Supplementing with magnesium will actually naturally remove these metals from the body and works just as well as intravenous EDTA-chelation therapy!

Magnesium deficiency has been shown:

  • to cause high blood pressure as well as contraction of the blood vessels that surround the heart and brain.
  • is directly related to the development of osteoporosis.
  • has been shown to be present in diseases such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Magnesium deficiency in these patients is directly related to the muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, fatigue, depression, brain dysfunction and inflammation they experience. Patients with both conditions have been shown to benefit from taking magnesium.

The best form of magnesium to take is magnesium salts in the form of glycinate. These are much better absorbed than the citrate or oxide forms and are better utilized by the body. Citrate is rapidly excreted by the kidney and oxide is not absorbed well at all. In fact, oxide is really only used to induce bowel movements in people with severe constipation.

A good rule of thumb for supplementation dose is 5mg per kg of bodyweight of every day. (150 lbs = 68kg. 68 X 5mg = 340mg daily.)

 

5.  Vitamin C

Our food supply contains very little Vitamin C because of premature food harvesting, artificial ripening and food processing. We are bombarded by environmental insults that increase our need for vitamin C. Prescription drugs, tobacco smoke, alcohol, industrial solvents, pesticides, petroleum products, carbon monoxide, lead, cadmium etc. all destroy vitamin C.

We should all supplement with vitamin C to build a biological barrier to protect our bodies.

Scientifically shown benefits of vitamin C:

• Improved blood vessel and cardiovascular integrity

• Enhances healthy hormone actions

• Promotes immune system health

• Enhances nitrous oxide functions

• Rebuilds the powerful antioxidant glutathione

• Promotes iron balance

• Reduces the accumulation of toxins

• Improves intestinal transit time

• Protects our DNA from damage

• Reduces toxic minerals in the body

•Enhances natural anti-cancer functions

• Rebuilds vitamin E and selenium

• Maintains the integrity of cartilage, bones and teeth

• Increases cellular resistance to many common viral infections

 

So how much Vitamin C do you need? The best way to learn your need of vitamin C is by doing an ascorbate calibration or “vitamin C flush.” Most of Dr. Hedberg’s patients require 2-10 grams per day based on their calibration. By saturating your body with vitamin C you will build a foundation to achieving optimal health

 6.  Vitamin D

When was the last time you had your vitamin D levels checked?  Vitamin D is not just a vitamin that is important for bone health and the prevention of rickets.

Vitamin D is a pro-hormone that is essential for:

  • Modulation of calcium metabolism
  • Cell growth
  • Cardiovascular dynamics
  • Immune/inflammatory balance
  • Neurologic function (yes, brain again)
  • Muscle weakness and pain
  • Insulin production
  • Blood pressure
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Cancer
  • Adrenal function
  • Genetic expression

It is virtually impossible to get enough vitamin D through diet…even with cod liver oil supplementation. D3 is the naturally occurring form of vitamin D and can be obtained through high quality supplements. D2 is produced by irradiating fungi and is much less efficient as a precursor to the active form of vitamin D.

Dairy products are fortified with D2 providing a vastly inferior source. The amount of D2 put in dairy products is also extremely inadequate — which leads us to the question of how much is safe and effective.

Supplementation of 2,000-10,000 IU for adults is clinically safe since such doses are consistent with physiologic requirements as noted by the amount produced by sun exposure. Vitamin D levels must be measured first and a thorough evaluation by a licensed physician should be completed before beginning supplementation.

Dr. Hedberg’s new patients often bring in calcium/vitamin D combination products. These products usually have a grossly sub-optimal level of vitamin D.

Vitamin D supplementation has been scientifically shown to benefit the following conditions:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  •  Hypertension
  •  Type 2 diabetes
  •  Osteoarthritis
  •  Multiple sclerosis
  •  Prevention of type 1 diabetes
  •  Depression (Vitamin D is yet another body n mind supplement)
  •  Epilepsy
  •  Migraine headaches
  •  Polycystic ovary syndrome
  •  Musculoskeletal pain
  •  Autoimmune/inflammatory conditions such as lupus & rheumatoid arthritis
  •  Cancer prevention and treatment.

It is estimated that as many as 47,000 cancer deaths could be prevented each year in Americaif adequate vitamin D levels were attained.

It is extremely important to have your levels checked through a blood test as well as consistent monitoring of blood calcium levels. Vitamin K plays an essential role in vitamin D metabolism and is vital if you are taking vitamin D. Without sufficient vitamin K, the increased calcium in the blood from vitamin D intake can deposit in soft tissues and also make arteries less elastic.

I use a product that contains vitamin K along with the vitamin D. Vitamin D supplementation should also be accompanied by vitamin A because too much of one will create a deficiency in the other. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, those individuals with gall bladder dysfunction or impaired fat digestion will not absorb it very well. Obesity can cause a 50% reduction in vitamin D levels even when supplementing with the same dose as a non-obese individual. Estrogen and progesterone are required for optimal vitamin D metabolism so menopausal women tend to have lower levels than others.

7.  Zinc

Zinc deficiency is rampant.  We only consume as low as 47% of the recommended daily intake of zinc.

More than a dozen studies show that zinc reduces the incidence and duration of the common cold due to its immune system supporting powers. Zinc actually directly inhibits the growth of cold-causing viruses. Zinc is involved in more body functions than any other mineral! It is estimated that zinc is involved in 10,000 enzymatic reactions in the body most of which involve the immune system and repair of body tissues.

Zinc is important for:

  • Chemical detoxification (important body n mind connection!)
  • Growth and development
  • Immune function
  • Sexual function
  • Production of white blood cells and it supports natural killer cells that fight infections Healing cannot take place without adequate zinc!
  • Metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates
  • Brain function such as memory and learning –  every enzymatic reaction in the brain
  • Vision, taste and smell

Marginal zinc deficiency can lead to:

  • Diabetes
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Cataracts
  • Ulcers
  • Food allergies
  • Toxic metals accumulation
  • Osteoporosis
  • Infections
  • Decreased sense of taste and smell
  • Hearing impairments
  • Blood sugar imbalances
  • Night blindness
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • High triglycerides

Zinc has been shown to be more effective than tetracycline for acne in teenagers. Zinc deficiency can be a contributing factor in other skin conditions as well including psoriasis, eczema, burns and wounds that heal slowly.

Zinc is a vital nutrient for sexual health. It works in virtually every aspect of male reproduction including sperm production, sperm motility and hormone metabolism. Men with low testosterone and low sperm counts are usually zinc deficient.  Men who supplement with zinc can reduce the size of the prostate and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Frequent urination and urge to urinate diminishes with zinc supplementation.

Zinc deficiency in women can lead to premature births, low birth weight, delivery problems, growth retardation, spontaneous abortion and toxemia. Zinc deficiency can result in the destruction of nerve cells leading to the formation of plaque tangles found in Alzheimer’s Disease.  When Alzheimer’s patients were given zinc supplements they showed improvement in memory, communication, understanding and social contact. (All of these are important body n mind anti-depression factors.)

How do you know if you need zinc? Dr. Hedberg does a test called a zinc challenge test which is done with liquid containing zinc. If you can taste the metallic flavor that zinc has then you don’t need to supplement. If you can’t taste anything then you are most likely deficient in zinc.

Dr. Hedberg cautions, “When you supplement with zinc be sure your multi contains copper.”

Laura Frisbie

 

http://www.beat-depression-naturally.com

RPA Journal Committee Member
RPA Board Secretary
Dr Nik Hedberg

****I first saw this information in a free e-course from Dr. Hedberg and felt it was important  enough to share.  Perhaps you’d like to share this with your clients?   This is a highly condensed version, see the original version here –  http://drhedberg.com/ Dr. Nikolas R. Hedberg, D.C., D.A.B.C.I.

LAUGHTER

What a gift ! ! ! It is part of our inherited abundance and available to everyone–at no cost and at every age! Starting out in this world, we laugh before we learn to speak words. At age 92 the Boston marathon runner Gladys Barrow was asked prior to this Patriot’s Day race, her 8th consecutive participation, how she managed to compete? She said she stays fit and always finds things to laugh about. Laughter connects people–to others and to themselves.

There’s more energy and benefit in sharing laughter than laughing by yourself. The bonds created in laughing together with someone act as a strong buffer against stress, disagreements and disappointment. And you don’t need a sense of humor to express laughter, just a willingness to risk some loss of control. Who hasn’t been on a belly-laugh roll and tried to stop because the occasion seems to call for less than hilarity–for some of those present?

Where does laughter come from? It comes from stress that accumulates in the body-mind system–and it seems as if there is more than enough of that to go around. Yes, it comes from stress and it deals with stress most effectively in myriad ways.

Physically, “the diaphragm, thorax, abdomen, heart, lungs, and even the liver are given a massage during a hearty laugh,” according to Dr. Marvin E. Herring of New Jersey’s School of Osteopathic Medicine. Laughter brings more oxygen to the body and brain, increases the count of natural killer cells which help the immune system destroy cancer cells and resist disease, improves blood circulation to the coronary arteries and dilates the blood vessels to help reduce blood pressure (from the work of Dr. Michael Miller of Maryland University), and  Dr. Lee Berk’s study confirms that “laughter therapy significantly helps to bring down blood sugar levels, thereby controlling diabetes.” Ten minutes of healthy laughter is equal to 30 minutes on the rowing machine was established scientifically by Dr. William Fry from Stanford University, who sees it as the best cardio workout with benefits similar to jogging, swimming and cycling.  Through relieving tension and stress, muscles relax and pain is diminished, or at least we are less overwhelmed.

Mentally, laughter affords a different, healthier perspective to problem solving. Not only are the physical benefits supporting the laughing individual, but the person can apply a more playful approach to a challenging issue, increasing the possibilities. It enhances resilience and helps defuse conflict. People practicing Laughter Yoga report higher energy levels and improved mental attitude, and Laughter Yoga groups are springing up all over the country.

Emotionally, laughter impacts the number one sickness in the world–depression–by lowering stress hormones, helping to release neurotransmitters from the brain cells,  lifting mood and increasing intimacy. It brings people to the present moment, eases anxiety and fear, adds zest and joy to life, and promotes a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations. That hearty laugh can help you relax and recharge, increasing energy and your ability to stay focused. Making a conscious effort to incorporate more humor and play in your daily interactions can improve your relationships at every level. As Enda Junkins says in her book We Need to Laugh More, “Laughter is feeling deeply which allows us to live fully.”

What do we laugh at? It could be anything and everything that gets our attention and doesn’t fit our expectation. In an effort to break away from being overly serious, laughing at yourself is often suggested. However, being laughed at can carry a negative connotation. So laughing with yourself is a more comfortable approach for me.

I offer a meta exercise, which Chris Belanger defined at his Laughter Meditation workshop as a “loving kindness” exercise. He started the group with everyone giving him/herself a big hug and laughing with self. It doesn’t take long to get really swept up in the laughter roaring, bubbling, chuckling, giggling, snickering, and/or snorting. After many minutes, we were silenced with a chime and instructed to close our eyes and notice what was going on inside our body, how we were feeling. Following the time to integrate that first part, we continued the cycle in sequence: with eyes closed and arms crossed over our chest, we envisioned laughing with someone we loved; with elbows bent and hands raised facing forward, we envisioned laughing with someone we knew casually but not well; with arms extended upward, we envisioned laughing with someone with whom we have had a difficult relationship; with arms extended outward, we envisioned laughing with the world. It was a profound experience for me, one in which during a silence I felt completely at one with the room and all it embraced; there were no boundaries, no limits. I felt the ultimate in peace and calm.

We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine AND it feels fabulous! So laugh out loud, look and listen for ever more opportunities to express your feelings in helpful ways and bring others along with you.

Laughter is an instant vacation – Milton Berle

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. – Victor Borge

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. – Yiddish Proverb

Laughter gives us distance.  It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. – Bob Newhart

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. – e.e. cummings

Seven days without laughter makes one weak. – Mort Walker

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. – Victor Hugo

By Nancy B. Martin

Transformation: our business and our magic

We are in the business of transformation in Resonance Repatterning. I often thank new clients for their courage in coming in to do a process that will always bring about transformation on some level. And I watch people everyday try to avoid that same transformation.

We get so attached to how things are. The way we talk to our friends or co-workers, the way we take care of ourselves or how we don’t take care of ourselves. The food we eat, the thoughts we think.

The truth is that transformation is an exciting adventure and also scary as all get out. We love to watch movies about characters who make a major transformation in 2 hours. And yet when we ask ourselves to transform a habit, it can take us years.

The truth is, we are now involved in a universal pattern of change and as the Lakota elders say, “It’s time to let go of the riverbank and surrender to the current in the river.” We may be surprised by whom we recognize out in the middle of that fast moving current.

So how are you holding on to the riverbank? What habits or attitudes are you holding onto, even when you know it would be more fun to let go. Smoking or eating sweets, sarcasm with yourself or your family, criticism of the world or others instead of taking action yourself?

The trick is that whatever we have asked for in the past is now what we are flowing towards. It may not look like what we asked for because the packaging may be different. Or we may be being directed through all the clean-up of the past before we can get to the outcome. But be assured, it is some form of what you asked for weeks or months or years ago.
When you say you want a different job and then you lose the job you have, know that you were a part of creating that. When you say you want a relationship in your life that has meaning to you, and you come across a person who all of a sudden wants to be more involved in your life, know it’s part of the outcome you wanted.

The truth is that transformation is hard work when we are fighting to control it. It can be a huge adventure when we welcome it.  What would happen if you opened your arms to your life each day, knowing that it was bringing you something you had asked for in the past. Kind of like Christmas everyday. Our Reptilian brains say, “but what if I can’t handle it?, what if I feel out of control? what if others I care about won’t be there for me, if I change something?” These are all valid questions and yet they are part of change for all of us.

The best thing we can do is reassure that survivor, the Reptilian part of ourselves, trusting that we can handle anything we have asked for. Because the truth is, if we can imagine it, we are ready for it.

Transformation is the magic of life. It’s the alchemy of healing and feeling whole. It’s the ability to jump onto the trapeze of life and trust that life will be there to catch us and if not, the net is always below. And to know that if we fall into the net, we meet someone interesting in the fall.

As I grow older, I find that the only regrets I have are the things I didn’t give myself permission to try. And the best stories that I most value are the stories of times when I felt I had botched things the most. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Leo personality, with 7 planets in Leo. My ego and need to do things right is huge and yet taking a risk and showing up less than perfect are when I have bonded and loved more deeply than at any other time.

So I invite you into this elegant and messy time of transformation. As you look at the world, see all the possibilities of this chaos and conflict you can. People are being forced to look within themselves and find new ways of doing and being. And some of those ideas are miracles. What kind of miracles do you want to invite into your life? And how much of a limit do you want to put on that? And when you feel overwhelmed by it all, remember there are all kinds of processes that help to keep you aligned and clear about what you want. Resonance Repatterning certainly does that for me and I watch it help my clients everyday with just that. It provides the clarity and the energetic housecleaning that we all need in order to find the way to our extraordinary and miraculous outcomes.

Love yourself enough to let go of the riverbank and join us in the current of this fast moving river. It’s already flowing in the direction you asked for, just do what you need to do to relax and enjoy the ride. And if you feel like you are going under a bit, there are a lot of us out there to support you and each other.

Welcome to the ride of your life!!

Bobbie Martin

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