8 Sleep Hygiene steps that you can implement TODAY to regulate your natural biological rhythms.

At the root of healing, the first step is to balance the nervous system and get back to a normal natural biological cycle between cortisol and melatonin production.

The opposite of the stress hormone (cortisol) is melatonin. In functional medicine, we look at everything in ratios and balance.

Most of society is in a cortisol dominance, sympathetic nervous system SNS, or chronic Fight Flight stress-based state.

Often this state of being is very unconscious because we get used to this "just a way of life" mindset.

Sleep 101 (Rest and Recovery)

1. Set consistent wake and sleep times.
2. Wear blue light blocker glasses (amber glasses) starting at 6:30pm daily.
3. Create an electronic power-down (sunset) in your home. Switch off electronics, wifi, screens ideally a few hours before the set sleep time (step 1). Opt for (unscented natural) candle light or the soft glow of salt lamps.

4. Remove all bluelight and technology from the bedroom and have wifi on a timer. (See 5 easy low-cost steps to remove EMFs and harmonize your environment here.)

5. Install dark blinds.

6. Consider a weighted blanket. I recommend Baloo Weighted Blankets.

7. Set your thermostat to cooler temps overnight. The ideal sleeping temperature is between 60 - 67 Fahrenheit (15.6 - 19.4 degrees Celsius). This may vary from person to person. Consider the chilisleep systems if you are a hot sleeper or if you tend to feel cold at night. The chilisleep can improve your sleep quality and comfort.

8. Track Sleep quality with the Oura Ring.

Medicinal Herbs 101

Where to start?

Start with yours and your family’s specific needs.

💡Did you know that chewing on some dill seeds can aid digestive complaints gas and bloating, help with depression, and even menstrual pain?

Studying the use of medicinal herbs and natural health is very daunting and overwhelming in general because you can have 25 different ways to treat or aid a certain issue.

When you look at people’s TOP concerns for a living, you start to organize information based on 1. Need 2. Functionality/Practicality 3. Overlapping Benefits/Uses

Here are some of those TOP Concerns below with some of the easiest, accessible, versatile plants that you can start growing in your garden. Notice the overlapping benefits.

Choose 1-2 from each relevant category and start there.

Energy & Focus
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Sage
Rosemary
Peppermint
Dill

Calm Nerves, Helps with Stress & Anxiety
Lemon Balm
Chamomile
Bee Balm (Bergamot/Monarda)
Lavender
Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Digestion Support
Aloe
Dill
Marshmallow/Hollyhock
Peppermint
Lemon Balm

Skin Issues/Rashes
Calendula
Marshmallow/Hollyhock
Bee Balm (Bergamot/Mondarda)
Garlic

Cold/Flu
Oregano
Sage
Lemon Balm
Garlic
Elecampare (bronchial issues/chest/lung infections)
Echinacea (helps stimulate the immune system when used at the first sign of illness)

Herbs can be used in cooking to add flavour, as well as, add medicinal properties to food.

Herbal Infusions

Herbal infusions can be used for a variety of purposes. Herbal infusions are made through a process of steeping or soaking the herbs in water, or in an oil or vinegar. You can make herbal vinegars/oils with culinary herbs by steeping the herbs in a neutral oil (grape-seed, olive. avocado) or white vinegar for a few weeks. Strain off the herbs and you have a lovely flavoured oil or vinegar.

Traditional water infusions are steeped for much longer than a tea, typically overnight between 12-14 hours (up to 48 hours).

Herbal Tinctures

Making a herbal tincture is an easy process. I prefer to use the folk method for making tinctures which means that there is no precise measuring involved. Basically you put a herb of choice in a jar, cover it with a neutral spirit like vodka, and let it sit for several weeks to infuse. If you want to make an alcohol-free tincture, substitute with vegetable glycerine.

Cover the jar with a lid and put it in a cool and dark place.

Aim to use fresh herbs to avoid the herbal material soaking up all the vodka, which can sometimes happen when using dried herbs.

Let the tincture infuse for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can go even longer than that, several months or more.

When you’re ready to use the tincture, use a fine mesh sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth to strain out the lemon balm. Use the cheesecloth to squeeze as much of the tincture out as possible.

Store the tincture in dropper bottles for easy use. It will keep for many years!

Growing your own medicine and making tinctures is so satisfying and very economical. A little goes a long way! However, If you prefer to buy tinctures rather than make your own, I highly recommend Herb Pharm!

55: 5 Steps to Rebalancing your Gut Health

Gut health is at the centre of human health and it’s no wonder that the gastrointestinal system is often referenced as our second brain and the body’s first line of defence against illness.  To get well, lose weight, or fix digestion, often it’s about looking deeper at healing your gut where the hidden underlying root causes of imbalance typically reside. Until you fix your gut, your immune system specifically takes the biggest hit. A condition called leaky gut happens when the lining of the gut walls becomes compromised overtime, the gut flora is imbalanced, and proteins from foods spill over into the bloodstream acting as foreign objects. All triggering the immune system to be reactive.  It is only after rebalancing the mircrobiome and the removal of fungal, bacterial overgrowth, parasites, or pathogens, that you’ll be able to fully reduce inflammation.

The long-term benefits of rebalancing the gut can include:

• Improved digestion and nutrient absorption

• Clearer thinking

• Deeper sleep

• Vibrant skin

• Increased Energy

• Weight Balance

There are several common symptoms of gut dysbiosis, a condition where the bacterial colonies of the gastrointestinal system are out of balance, which is closely associated with several other conditions including: IBS, colitis, candida, celiac disease, leaky gut, PCOS, chronic UTIs, as well as skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

General symptoms of gut dysfunction often include:

• Weight gain

• Diarrhea

• Fatigue

• Vaginal or rectal itching

• Craving for sweets & carbs

• Bloating

• Heartburn

• Mood disorders

• Difficulty urinating

• Joint pain

• Hormone imbalance

• Gas

• Bad breath

• Anxiety

• Brain fog

• Low libido

• Muscle weakness

• Constipation

• Headaches

• Depression

• Lack of concentration

• Chronic allergies

• Sinus congestion

Step #1 to rebalancing the gut: don’t guess, test

One of the best courses of action, and the first places to start is with a wellness blood panel . This is truly the prerequisite step in order to have an overview of your health. Looking at bloodwork from an optimal functional perspective allows a great window into your gut health uncovering key deficiencies and early red flags. In addition there are some benefits to also looking at other functional medical lab testing.  It is the only way to really know what imbalances you are dealing with in the gut and to start building a holistic plan back to health.  Functional GI testing can uncover abnormal levels of bacteria such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), candida, yeast, fungal overgrowth, H. Pylori, or other pathogens and parasites often associated with gut permeability problems.

It can take years of trials and errors and what I like to call, holistic Band-Aids such as, turmeric, frankincense, green tea powder, all in the attempt to reduce symptoms of inflammation; However, a nutritional and herbal plan alone is often not enough to get your gut back to a state of healthy balance.

Once you get the results back from the lab tests, you will then know exactly where you need to start, what you need to remove, and then work on sealing back up the gut walls.

More information: Blood Chem Panels + Functional Medicine Lab Service

Step #2 to rebalancing the gut: remove foods that harm and proceed with an appropriate yeast, bacterial, fungal, or parasite protocol 

There are certain foods in the list below that aren’t ideal for gut health which can feed unhealthy levels of overgrowth and pathogens.

Foods to Avoid

• Excessive amounts of saturated animal fats, high-fat foods, trans fats, hydrogenated fats

• Fried foods

• Dairy

• Food dyes

• Condiments and sauces

• Wheat and Gluten grains (barley, kamut, rye, spelt)

• Yeast-raised baked goods

• Alcohol

• Artificial additives and preservatives

• Processed nuts

• Carbonated beverages

• Processed and smoked meats

• Packaged and processed foods

Once you have your lab test results, you can work on removing the overgrowth and rebalancing the gut microbiome through a specific protocol such as a candida bacteria overgrowth CBO, SIBO, H. Pylori, or other parasite protocol.  These protocols work to specifically remove the biofilm and access the actual yeast, bacterial, or parasite overgrowth.  Otherwise, it is very difficult with herbal remedies or nutritional support alone to fully remove the imbalance.   Eating well can temporarily help, but often a relapse will occur since it isn’t strong enough to sustainably kill the unwanted pathogens to healthy levels.

Lab tests can also uncover other levels of toxicity such as heavy metals or mould, as well as, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  From here, it is easier to come up with a personalized and timely plan to rebalance health through nutrition, replenish deficiencies, and remove toxins in the body.

Once you have rebalanced the gut, and sealed up the gut walls, you may find that you have less food sensitivities and that you can go back to eating a healthy balanced variety of foods.  Once you have completed your protocols, you can try reintroducing healthy foods one-by-one over a 3-day windows to observe how your body reacts.

Other Foods that May Need to be Temporarily Eliminated

• Gluten-free grains (oats, rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat)

• Nightshades; eggplants, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes

• Nuts and seeds (except hemp)

• High-lectin foods: beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, squash

• Bananas and high glycemic fruit: watermelon, mangos, papaya, pineapple

• Soy

• Corn

• Histamine foods: fermented foods, fermented vegetables, kombucha

Reset your Gut by implementing the 3 Day RESET guide and continue implementing it for 4-6 weeks for best results.

Step #3 to rebalancing the gut: include easy to-digest foods that heal

It takes a very strong and healthy digestive system to thrive on a raw plant based-diet.  Therefore until the gut is rebalanced, it can be beneficial to heat, blend, and stew to help breakdown nutrients so that they are more accessible, easier to digest, and assimilate. Since 30% of our energy is used to digest and breakdown foods, opting for a breakfast smoothie is one of the best ways to get in a good portion of the daily fruit and vegetable servings while reserving energy for heavier protein meals later on in the day.

When sourcing foods to rebalance the gut, it is really important to alleviate the toxic burden on the body while replenishing nutritional deficiencies by:

• Choosing organic, non-GMO varieties of produce and foods whenever possible;

• Opting for sustainable animal proteins such as grass-fed, pastured meat and wild caught, low mercury fish;

• Eating a rainbow of 7-9 servings of vegetables/day (60-70% vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit/day (lower fructose and lower glycemic options);

• Consuming lower amounts of overall protein, about 10-15%; and

• Restricting fat to 10-20% of healthy options such as: avocado, coconut, extra-virgin, first cold pressed olive oil.

Try some Gut Healing Nutrient Dense Recipes from my SOUP GUIDE: 15 healthy ideas!

Step #4 to rebalancing the gut: reduce emotional, psychological, physical stress 

The gastrointestinal system is especially sensitive to stress.  The fight or flight response specifically diverts energy to deal with whatever the source of incoming stress may be.  This is a survival mechanism that shifts energy away from digestion to instead deal with the perceived immediate danger, either fight or run away fast. Consequently, the digestive processes shut down which shows up as lower levels of digestive enzymes and stomach acids required to breakdown food, as well as less saliva production.  This can result in stagnation, issues related to nutrient absorption, slow or hyperactive bowel activity, and hormone dysfunction.

Balancing daily routines and exercise with more calming YIN styles, or parasympathetic nervous system activities can help soothe and restore the digestive function. Here are some examples that can greatly improve the body’s ability to move into more of a rest, restore, and digest state:

• Prayer

• Breath work

• Meditation

• Soft martial arts

• Nature walks

• Massage

• Stretching

• Low-impact exercise

Step #5 to rebalancing the gut: supplement with nutrients that rebuild overall health

Very often it is still not enough to have a healthy routine of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and de-stressing even after completing one of the gut balancing protocols. The last element to the equation is to give the body a boost in terms of nutrients in order to continue healing, regenerating, and ultimately living in more of a thriving rather than surviving state.

Due to the accumulation over the years of toxic foods, substances, overuse of antibiotics, various stressors, nutritional sensitivities, and deficiencies, imbalances within the GI tract can worsen and reoccur.  Sometimes it can take years to feel balanced from this kind of damage unless given a boost with nutrients from whole foods and specific nutritional supplements.

A good foundational support may include:

• A daily activated multi-vitamin and mineral support

• Plant-based phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber

• Probiotics

• Vitamin D3-K

• OMEGA3

• A Digestive enzyme support

Book a free consultation to learn how to get started on rebalancing your gut health, get back the life, health, and body you want, book a free call with me here today!

54: Lean Strength Training: What I Wish I Knew Starting Out.

The backstory…

I started off exploring the traditional gym space with the major intention of wanting to fix my body.

I didn’t like the way I looked.

This stemmed from years of feeling insecure about my weight or lack there of, major self-confidence and anxiety issues for most of childhood to teen years that never really went away. I had this tremendous self-doubt and fear of others and what they were thinking ALL of the TIME.

So in my mid thirties, I finally built up enough courage to take charge of this problem once and for all. I signed up for a gym. I was going to fix the way I looked.

My idea of fixing the problem was specifically changing my body type to look more muscular fit and attractive. That was it!

So I signed up for a body transformation program where I did learn some of the foundations of strength training of which I am very grateful for. I learned how to Romanian deadlift, dead lift, and goblet squat. But I also drank raw egg whey protein dense shakes, took anabolic supplements, and consumed up towards the 4000 calories a day, it was the typical transform the ectomorph body into a more mesomorphic body frame and type.

It didn’t take very long down this path to understand and realize intuitively that this was not the path for me for a number of reasons. However, I have always continued to build on those original core basic strength training moves and continue with variations of the following today.

8 Foundational Strength Moves

• Push

• Pull

• Row

• Squat

• Lunge

• Step Up

• Dips

• Plank/Core

1.Body Weight before Weights

The number one reason I prefer body weight before weights is to prevent Injury. When we use our body weight it forces us to stay within our physical strength ability since we can’t unnaturally push past the resistance threshold of managing our own body. Just look up advanced callisthenics for some inspiration. The level of strength and ability of some of these athletes is absolutely incredible and inspired!

2. Resistance Bands before Barbells

Resistance bands are a classic variation of gradually graduating difficulty and resistance without going to heavy and presenting unnecessary load and physical stress on your joints and skeletal system. Resistance bands help promote and train proper form while performing some of the above mentioned 8 foundational moves. I mean you may find that you never even need to touch a barbell.

Pick up a set of super loop and small loop resistance bands and try out some new variations to your existing workouts. For example, the barbell squat adding on the barbell squat overhead push press with a super loop resistance band.

Also, bands are super versatile, you can bring them with you while traveling or on a walk to get in a few sets of resistance training.

3. You don’t need a GYM

The world is our gym! It starts with moving past the physical 4 walls of a gym, getting outside, really embracing, and loving spending more time outside in nature. This can be some of the most productive time to balance our nervous system, mental health, and physical body. Think about walking, jogging, paddle boarding, biking, roller-skating, working out with the park equipment or finding a random bench. Maybe it starts with bringing your bands or yoga mat out in nature.

4. You don’t need a lot to get started (favourite tools)

You really don’t need a lot of resources and things to get started. The number one reasons why people don’t get started, is typically because of mind block barriers relating to time, money, gym access or not having the space/resources to set up your own personal gym. However, in my view, we literally don’t need anything except for our body to get started so there’s really no excuse.

Investment Pieces:

• Home built Outdoor Calisthenics Gym

• Indoor Basement Workout Studio

• NordicTrack Incline Treadmill

• InfraRed Sauna by Sauna Ray

Low-Cost Get Started Today:

• Resistance Bands

• Stability Ball

• Dumbells/Kettlebells

• Equilizer Bars

• Gymnastic Rings/TRX/Yoga Swing

• Bosu

• Wall Bars

5. Infradian Rhythm

Most of the expert advice we get on exercise, frequency, training volume, and which type is best for us is generally geared towards optimizing male fitness and not optimized to female bio chemistry.

Menstruating women, with normal hormone function, are operating on a 28-day cycle. In the first half of our cycle (follicular phase), we burn fat easier and gain lean muscle. This is when we can ramp up our intensity training with intervals, and HIIT workouts, spin, and cardio to see more weight loss. The second half of our cycle, (luteal phase) we can really afford and benefit from skipping the cardio/high intensity training and shift towards more resistance, strength, flexibility, and recovery.

During mensuration, hormone/energy levels are at the lowest so any type of high intensity, strength, power yoga etc. can actually really backfire turning on fat storage, muscle wasting, and adding unnecessary stress to our cardiovascular and nervous system.

For more information on cycle syncing your life in other areas besides exercise, work and focus, nutrition, socialization, and love-making, check out the work of Alisa Vitti, In The Flow and the accompanying app to track your cycle and tap into your second clock, the Infradian Rhythm.

The Teacher Appears When the Student is Ready.

What I Really Wish I knew earlier on in my life….

I wish I had the mindset teachings, emotional balance strategies, spiritual education, tools, and mentors earlier.

I was 37 when I walked into my first ever exercise class. I didn’t know what I was doing.

I was a late bloomer perhaps, but some people never ever walk into that class or whatever it is that leads them to realizing that the real work is an inside job.

Health and Transformation is an inside job.

To change the exterior world, it starts with our interior world.

My final point here today is to say that it’s never too late, you’re never a late bloomer, everything has its time, everything has its place, and we are just beginners at much in life.

With gratitude,

Stephanie

51: Natural approaches to Cold and Flu Season

Being healthy and living a long healthy and happy life is first and foremost a lifestyle.   

Maintaining a healthy immune system is the primary way of protecting against an excessive number of colds. If you catch more than one or two colds a year, you may have a weak immune system. To strengthen the immune system, I will be sharing some of the foundational recommendations here today.
 

A Naturopathic cure has three main components:

1. The elimination of evil habits such as overeating, consuming alcoholic drinks, drugs, coffee, or meat, excessive worry, etc.

2. Corrective habits to regain health including proper breathing, exercise, relaxation, positive mental attitude, in the pursuit of health and wellness.

3. New principles of living which includes the proper selection of food and natural therapies.

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. HOW and WHY alcohol impacts our immune system?

Alcohol dependence (in moderation or over consumption) is probably one of the most serious health problems facing society today. Alcohol:

• Overloads the detoxification processes, contributes to liver damage, and immune suppression

• Produces chemical stress on the body

• Increases oxidative stress because it contributes to the depletion of critical antioxidant glutathione. 

• Increases adrenal hormone output

• Interferes with normal brain chemistry and normal sleep cycles. 

• Contributes to nutritional deficiencies: B6, B vitamins, Selenium, glutathione, Zinc, Vitamin A, Antioxidants, imbalanced Amino Acids, Vitamin C, Magnesium

• Impacts Gut health: the intestinal microflora is severely deranged in moderate to heavy alcohol consumption.

• Contributes to Hypoglycaemia (disregulated blood sugar) 

Alcohol is often used as an unhealthy calming effect (a Maladaptive coping mechanism) to deal with stress.   

If you want to have a healthy liver, there are three things you definitely want to stay away from: 

Saturated fats, refined sugar, and alcohol. 

Consider following the 3-day Reset as a template which is  designed to stabilize blood sugar, provide a lot of whole food nutrient dense foods that help support your liver, digestion, and ultimately support a healthy functioning immune system. 

2. Love your Lymph: Hydration and Dry Brushing

The lymphatic system, critical to immunity, is a network of tissues and organs that rid the body of toxins, waste, and other unwanted materials; Lymph fluid contains white blood cells that are instrumental in fighting infection all throughout the body.

A healthy lymphatic system is key to a healthy body.

1. Hydrate: Lymph is about 95% water, making water essential for its health.

Drinking plenty of liquids and using a vaporizer help maintain hydration within the respiratory tract which helps repel viral infection while also improving white blood cells function.

The type of liquids you drink is very important. Studies have shown that consuming concentrated sources of sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, or orange juice greatly reduces the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria. 

Avoid Caffeine and alcohol, both of which have a diuretic effect. 

 Exercise

First morning exercise such as jump rope or jumping on a small trampoline/rebounder can help get the lymph moving.  There is no pump within the lymphatic system like in the cardio vascular system, so exercise and moving the body is the only way to get it flowing.

3. Dry brushing

Dry brushing helps move the lymph to naturally detox through lymphatic drainage, exfoliate the skin, and clean pores.  In dry brushing, the skin is typically brushed toward the heart, starting at the feet and hands and brushing toward the chest.

3. Sugar

As mentioned above, sugar, even if derived from natural sources such as fruit juices and honey, can impair immune function. 

This impairment appears to be due to the fact that glucose (blood sugar) and vitamin C compete for transport sites into the white blood cells. 

Excessive sugar consumption may decrease vitamin C levels and result in a significant reduction in white blood cell function. 

4.  Antibiotics

More than 90% of all sore throats are caused by viruses. 

• If you have a sore throat, see a physician to rule out strep throat as the cause. 

• Before antibiotics are used, an in-office rapid strep screening test should be performed. 

• If antibiotics are used or have been used, it is important to use a probiotic supplement containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. 

• 70% of doctors regularly prescribe an antibiotic for acute bronchitis even though it provides no benefit and significant risk. 

The main risks with overusing Antibiotics include:

• The overgrowth of Candida albicans 

• The disruption of normal gut microflora

• The possibility of developing antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. 

5. Key Natural Cold and Flu Supplements + Folk recipes and remedies

Herbal Cold & Flu Protocols to have on hand for acute infections:

At the 1st Sign of a Cold:

• Rest

• Stay Warm

• Drink fluids

• Eat Well (NO SUGAR)

• Elderberry Syrup 1 Tsp every 2hrs.

• Echinacea Tincture 1 tsp every 2hrs. (Discontinue after 2 days)

• 5 drops of Oregano oil under the tongue

Everyday Foundational General Supplements

1. Vitamin C (Ascorbates) Buffered Vitamin C

2. Magnesium Glycinate

3. B-Complex

4. Electrolytes: Sodium; Magnesium; Potassium & Trace Mineral Drops

Accute Cold, Flu, and Respiratory Symptom Supplements

**Note these are not to be taken as everyday supplements (only taken to support the onset or beginning stages of symptoms)

1. Olive Leaf Extract

2. Goldenseal

3. Oregano

One of the main treatment goals in bronchitis, sinusitis, and pneumonia is to help the lungs and air passages get rid of the excessive mucus. 

• Neti Pot

• Nebulizer

• Castor oil Pack

• RLT

• InfraRed Sauna

• Magnesium Epsom Salt Warm Bath

• Mustard Poultice

1. Apply a heating pad, hot water bottle, or mustard poultice to the chest for up to 20 minutes twice per day. 

2. A mustard poultice is made by mixing 1 part dry mustard with three parts flour and adding enough water to make a paste (the strength of mustard powder varies greatly, so test a small amount on the skin first to be sure it is not too strong, as indicated by excessive redness). The paste is spread on thin cotton (an old pillowcase works very well) or cheesecloth, and the folded cloth is placed on the chest. Check often, as mustard can cause blisters if left on too long. 

3. After the hot pack or mustard poultice, perform postural drainage by lying with the top half of the body off the bed, using the forearms as support, for a 5-to 15-minute period while trying to cough and expectorate into a basin or newspaper on the floor.

   Electrolyte Water:

The balance of potassium, magnesium and sodium helps to rehydrate your body on the cellular level keeping you hydrated and best able to battle a virus.

• 4 c. water

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 juice of lemon lime

• 10-15 trace mineral drops

• 1 tbs elderberry syrup

Mix all ingredients together and drink throughout the day.

To Avoid Secondary Infections:

All of the above plus:

Fire Water—1 Tbs (recipe below) every 2 hrs. or as often as needed

Buy or Make Elderberry Syrup Recipe:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen elderberries de-stemmed (or 1/3 cup dried)

• 1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)

• 5 whole cloves (optional)

• 2 Tbs. fresh, grated ginger (optional)

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup honey

• 2 Tbs. lemon juice (optional) (necessary if canning)

• Simmer elderberries and spices (if using) in water for about 20 minutes, mashing slightly.

• Stir in honey until completely dissolved.

• Store in the refrigerator until it molds or process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude) to store on shelf.

Each pint contains about 92 1 tsp. servings.

Dosing:

Take 1 tsp every day to strengthen your immune system.

Take 1 tsp every 30 minutes to 2 hours at first sign of a virus.

*Note* To make a honey-free version that is safe for babies you can replace the honey with rice syrup.

Fire Water:

• 1/2 cup garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled

• 1/2 cup whole dried or fresh cayenne or 1/8 cup red pepper flakes

• 1 qt raw apple cider vinegar

• Put herbs in jar

• Pour ACV over herbs, stir in until all herbs are wet

• Cover with plastic lid

• Steep for 4-6 weeks, shaking daily for the 1st week

• Strain off herbs

• Store in cool, dark place

Vinegar tinctures will last for at least 1 year when stored in a cool, dark location.

Dosing:

Take 1/2 oz (1 Tb.) every 30 minutes - 2 hr. to avoid any secondary infections or anytime you would use an antibiotic

Fire Water Oxymel:

• 1/2 cup Fire Water (see previous recipe)

• 1/2 cup honey

• Heat slightly and stir until thoroughly mixed.

• Cap and store in a cool, dark location. Will store well at least a year.

Dosing:

Take by the tsp as needed to soothe a scratchy throat or a dry tickly cough.

Sage and Salt Gargle:

• 2 Tb. Sage

• 1/2 cup of boiling water

• 2 Tb. salt

• 1/2 cup of raw Apple Cider Vinegar

• Put sage in a jar. Pour boiling water over sage. Cover and let steep about 15 minutes.

• Strain into a fresh jar.

• Mix in salt and vinegar.

• Keep in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Dosing:

Gargle 1 or 2 mouthfuls as needed for a hot, raw sore throat.

Please consult your medical provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning. 

For a specific consultation on how to proceed this Cold and Flu season with a customized plan, book a free consultation today.
 

Book your consultation today!

50: Five easy low-cost steps to remove EMFs and harmonize your environment

This week on The Freedom to Live Podcast, I am sharing tools and action steps that are easy to implement and that are also low cost to help you remove and harmonize your environment in relation to Electric Magnetic Fields, commonly referred to as EMFs.

5 tangible action steps that won’t break the bank 
Get more control of your health by removing and blocking EMF sources

1. Remove

2. Block & Shield

3. Harmonize

Knowledge means nothing without Action.
Enjoy this week's episode!

❤️ Stephanie

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. What are EMFs and WHY should we be concerned?

Electric and magnetic fields (often referred to as EMFs) are an essential and natural part of the physical world.  Some occur naturally in nature and some are man-made.

Electric and magnetic fields occur naturally within the body in association with nerve and muscle activity. We also experience the natural magnetic field of the Earth (to which a magnetic compass responds) and natural electric fields in the atmosphere.

The human body has a charge and our body's frequency needs to be in harmony with our environment.

• Electric fields are produced by voltage A/C electric outlets

• Magnetic fields are produced by current (battery operated)

• EMFs are not the same thing as radiation

• Not all EMFs are bad

There are two basic forms of radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing:

1.Ionizing Radiation:  radioactive substances in rocks and soil, cosmic rays of the sun, and radiation from man-made technology such as x-rays machines, power stations, and nuclear reactors.

2.Non-ionizing Radiation: visible light, ultraviolet and infrared waves, waves from radio or television, cellular phones, microwaves, and electric blankets.

But whether you get radiation depends basically on the frequency. At high frequencies – radio waves, TV, microwaves etc – the fields are coupled together and you get radiation. 

The World Health Organization has declared that cell phone radiation may be linked to brain cancer. 

Several Studies connect cell phone radiation to diminished sperm count and sperm damage.

Other studies raise health concerns such as:

• altered brain metabolism,

• sleep disturbance,

• and behavioural changes in children.

EWG'S GUIDE TO SAFER CELL PHONE USE

2. Microwaves and Ear Buds (The WORST! Just REMOVE)

Microwaves cause water molecules in food to vibrate, producing heat that cooks the food. That's why foods that are high in water content, like fresh vegetables, can be cooked more quickly than other foods. 

Most of the human body is water, with an average of roughly 60%

1. Heating  food in the microwave kills nutrients resulting in dead food.

2. Cooking B12 foods (meat, milk, breast milk) destroys the B12 vitamin as well as the bacteria fighting agents found in breast milk as published in the scientific and medical literature. 

3. Plastic containers used to heat microwave meals (TV dinners) have been found to release carcinogens along with other harmful toxins into your food which is then absorbed by your body.

4. The non-ionizing radiation of the microwave can affect changes in your blood and your heart rate.

5. A study conducted by Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University found the levels of radiation emitted by a microwave affect both heart rate and heart rate variability. 

Is This Common Kitchen Appliance Harming Your Health? by Dr. Mercola

Your microwave oven will NOT help you prepare healthy food--and will threaten your health by ripping the molecules in your food apart, rendering some nutrients inert and others carcinogenic.

Dangers of EMF Exposure to the Head: WHY ear buds are not a good idea.

• Biological Damage

• ADHD

• Headaches & Depression

• Tinnitus

Dr. Martin Pall of Washington State University published an article in the Journal of Neuroanatomy (Pall 2016) to help summarize current research to-date on EMF radiation and its neuropsychiatric effects, including those linked to depression and headaches. 

• EMFs were shown to activate VGCC (voltage-gated calcium ion channels) in the brain and these channels are responsible for neural communication.

• Animal studies showed that low level exposure had a wide range of impact.

• Genetic studies indicated VCGG cause widespread neuropsychiatric effects.

Apple AirPods are constantly transmitting. 

They never take a break.

The only way to turn them off is to put them back in their box and shut the lid.  

The levels are up to  3500mV/m – 10 times the level of a mobile phone call at under 300mV/m (millivolts per metre).

3. Remove: Opt out of your home Smart Meter

Typically, smart meters are installed on the side of your home, replacing the manual analog style meter. 
 

Smart meters emit a large amount of radio frequency radiation every few seconds in all directions. So, if the smart meter is installed on the wall opposite a bedroom, there is likely to be a high amount of EMF radiation penetrating into that room.

Check out TAKE BACK YOUR POWER !
This award-winning documentary Take Back Your Power uncovers the shocking story behind why hundreds of local governments are standing against the multi-billion dollar rollout of 'smart' utility meters program.

4.  4000 hours LESS/year of wifi router radiation if you unplug for 12 hours/day

Turning off WiFi at night (setting up an inexpensive manual timer) is an easy step to reduce your exposure to EMFs while you sleep. 

• Avoid sleeping with your phone by your head or in your room.  

• Shut Off/Use Air Plane mode at night.  
   

5 easy low-cost steps to remove EMFs and harmonize your environment

1. Remove

• Microwave

• Ear buds

• Home utility SMART METERS

• Smart devices

• LED Light bulbs

2.  Turn OFF (unplug)

• Wifi at night

• Utilize Air Plane Mode at night

• Bluetooth

• Hard wire your computer back to ethernet cables

• Take remote unplugging vacations

3. Block & Shield

• Laptop and Cellphones (Defender Shield, Smart Sleeve)

• Faraday fabric blocks EMFs.  There are EMF blocking clothing and bed canopies available

• EMF shielding paint

• BlueLight Blocking glasses

4. Harmonize the Environment

• Grounding: walk barefoot outside, lay on the ground, spend moments in nature. 

• House Plants help absorb toxins and naturally filter the air.

• Salt lamps help absorb toxins and naturally filter the air.

• Shungite, is a carbon-rich stone known to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and EMF exposure.

• Increase natural lighting.  Replace LED with Incandescent or Halogen options to reduce the impacts on retina damage and Melatonin production.

• Feng shui, an ancient Chinese practice of creating balance with the natural world in our interior spaces.

• Hygge, similar to Feng Shui, a Danish and Norwegian word  to create an environment/mood of coziness, wellness, and contentment.

**(no affiliation with any of the above mentioned companies).  I share all this information for health educational purposes and what I use personally and recommend to family, friends, and clients.

Now that I know Better, I must do Better.
Enjoy this week.  

✌️❤️💪⚖️ Stephanie

If you would like support over the next month, 3 months, 6 months, contact us today to get started on a personalized plan to rebalance your health. 

We are launching a group program November 16, 2020 that encompasses all the pillars of the Integrative Health System to help you stay on track through the stress and uncertainty of the holidays and new year.

Nutrition
Smart Training & Recovery Tracking
Functional Medicine Lab Testing
Mindfulness
Support Community
Daily Q&A Support
 

Book your complementary consultation today.

Contact us today to reserve your spot!

47: Train Smarter Not Harder

I would argue that the majority of people are training Harder and not Smarter.

Living in harmony is about having more of a wholistic mindful awareness about which activities are depleting vs. rejuvenating your body and mind. 

Enjoy this week's resources on How to start setting up your Smart Training Schedule.

❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Identify Your Levels of Stress

In order to rejuvenate your body, you must take in more energy than you give out for a period of time.

Develop a sense of awareness around how much energy you are giving out vs. taking in.

Evaluate your current level of stress with the Holmes-Rahe Stress Test below before you start designing your ideal Training Schedule.

What is your score?

2. What to Eat on the Smart Training Schedule?

Low calorie long term diets place more added stress on the body, so we aim for a maintenance plan of 3 whole food meals/day.

Let's be mindful of all the factors that are putting stress on our adrenals below:

3. Sleep and Recovery Tracking

Tracking the physical signs of stress is so important to see how your body is adapting. 

How fast you recovery IS the Main GOAL within the Smart Training Schedule.  It's about building the body up instead of breaking it down.  

Clinical Signs of Stress

• High resting HR/BPM (70+)

• High BP (130/85+)

• Low body temperature (<98 ̊)

• Flu-like symptoms after exercise or stressful event

• Erratic HRV

• Dilated/Pinpoint Pupils

Functional Medicine Lab Testing Markers

• High/Low cortisol/thyroid

• High/Low electrolytes

• High/Low blood sugar

• High CRP, homocysteine, LDH, potassium on blood work

• Gut permeability & digestive issues

See my previous episode #41 here on how to build your home Doctor's office.

Sleep and Recovery tracking with the OuraRing has been my simple solution over the last 6 months. 
Each morning I wake up with a "readiness score" that is taking into consideration how much sleep, REM, DEEP sleep, bed timing, restfulness, night time body temperature, heart rate,  and heart rate variability.  It monitors how long it takes for my heart rate to stabilize at night which is a major indicator of recovery. 

Honestly, it's been a game-changer.

See more here on HRV tracking tools, such as the Elite HRV here. (episode #26)

4.  Balance Yin vs. Yang Mind and Body Activities

Which activities give you more energy (Yin) vs. deplete your energy (Yang).

Review your Holmes-Rahe Stress Test score and Assess your YIN:YANG ratio of current activities in a Day, in a week.

Yin (depleting) SNS activities

Hard, Long, Intense Workouts
Waking up to an alarm, Disturbed Sleep, Less than 7hours of sleep
Bright flashing lights, loud noise, crowds
Stuck in traffic, Running late
Getting kids ready
Arguments (work/relationships)
Gut problems,Viruses & infections
Planning social events
Anything causes pain (mind or body)

Yang (rejuvenation) PNS activities

Meditation
Walking Meditation
Binaural beats
Infrared Sauna
Gentle/medium pressure massage
Dry Brushing
Acupuncture
Playing with Children
Walking the dog
Hatha and Restorative Yoga
Hiking
Reading
Float tank
Listening to podcasts and taking notes

5.  Design your Smart Training Schedule

Foundations to a Successful SMARTER Training Schedule

• Reduce caffeine (wean off)

• Top Stress reducing supplements: B Vitamins, Magnesium, Melatonin, and Adaptogens

• Make to-do list the night before

• Ideally asleep before 10:30 PM

• Plan fun activities and buffer times in your week

• Exercise at least every other day

• Walk 10,000 steps a day outside

• Meditate (even just 5-minutes a day upon waking and/or before bed)

• Take a full-day off from work every week (Sunday)
   

This ideal workout week schedule (Advanced)

For those that are looking to maximize their time and exercise routine to balance all aspects of training.

Methods of Exercise

Walking Days = 7 (10,000 steps total per day)
Resistance Training Days = 3
Cardio Days = 2
Formal Yoga or Stretching Class = 2

Sample Weekly Schedule
Monday: Resistance training workout #1 
Tuesday: Cardio workout #1 (bike, run, row, sprint, etc.)

Wednesday: Resistance training workout #2 
Thursday: Gentle Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Stretching Class, or Rest
 (Infra Red, Float Tank, Foam Rolling)
Friday: Resistance training workout #3
Saturday: Cardio workout #2 (bike, run, row, sprint, etc.)

Sunday: Gentle Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Stretching Class or Rest
 

This is my IDEAL Everyday athlete perfect world training week that balances soft and hard forms of movement and is perfect for almost anyone that is not competing for a specific goal (bodybuilding, powerlifting, sport specific).

Remember, it’s something to strive for even if you can only do half of what’s listed!”

I hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter/blog and don't forget to check out our brand new podcast version of the Freedom 5 weekly.

Happy Smart Training Scheduling!

Stephanie

 

If you would like support over the next month, 3 months, 6 months, contact us today to get started on a personalized plan to rebalance your health. 
 

Book your complementary consultation today.

45: Adopting a Healing and Recovery Mindset

Edition 45: Adopting a Healing and Recovery Mindset
 

This week I discuss 8 Key Principles on overcoming and working through addictions with food and other substances.

With gratitude,

❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. What do these 6 substances have in common?

When I polled my audience this week, many answered:

Inflammation
Lower Immune function
Causes/Contributes to intestinal impermeability/leaky gut
Makes us feel sick and tired
Speeds up the aging process

All True.  But I was looking for a specific answer.  They are all:

Highly Addictive

When dealing with any type of mental illness, depression, anxiety, ADHD, Addiction, there are 2 main causes:

Psychological and Biochemical factors and recovery typically requires a very multidisciplinary and holistic approach. 

I used to always separate drug and alcohol addiction with food based addictions as being totally different beasts.  But I feel like there isn't a difference, there's variation and levels to addiction, but it's still an addiction.

I outline here today 8 principles of an overall recovery and healing mindset to conquer any type of addiction:
 

1. Admit and Acknowledge your addictions.  Do you have control and power over the certain external substances such as: drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy?  Do you have full control and willpower to say NO? Have you tried abstaining? 75 days, 30 days, 3 days, 1 day?

2. Know your WHY.  What are the deep reasons WHY you want better? Better health, a better body, a better life, greater purpose?  WHY change.

3. Start with ONE DAY. Don’t think of forever. Just focus on winning the day! 

4. Feel to Heal.  To go without is to go within. 

5. Put in the work. Daily.

6. Acknowledge a force of healing and recovery greater than yourself.

7. Continue to seek guidance, support, and help along the way.

8. Heal yourself, Heal Others, Change the World

2. Six Nutritional factors that may be responsible for addiction, dependence, anxiety, depression, and mental illnesses overall.

Melvin Werbach, M.D., author of Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness , wrote that these six nutritional factors play a big role on anxiety, elevated levels of lactic acid, and mental illness overall:

1. Alcohol 

2. Caffeine 

3. Sugar 

4. Deficiency of the B vitamins niacin, pyridoxine, and thiamine 

5. Deficiency of calcium or magnesium 

6. Food allergens

Source: Werbach M. Nutritional influences on mental illness: a sourcebook of clinical research. Tarzana, Calif.: Third Line Press, 1991. 

3. Adopt the ONE DAY mindset

Check out this episode here. 
 

We can do anything for ONE DAY.

If you can do it for ONE DAY you can do it forever.

But don’t think about it forever.

THINK about ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Put in to practice something for ONE DAY and keep going.

Within a short period of time you have multiple days, multiple weeks, multiple months.

What you get is the accumulation of consistent action.

Low calorie diets, restrictive eating, and extreme diets where you are eliminating one of the 3 key macro nutrients long-term perpetuate a falling off the wagon, binging, spiralling behaviours, and just feeling deprived and miserable.  Many do not thrive on diets.

Within the context of healing and recovery, eliminating and abstaining from certain addictive substances for a period of time takes on the goal of getting to the root cause of addictions to things like alcohol, drugs, sugar, caffeine, baked goods, or other behaviours.

After a set period of time you need to assess your ability to sustain a healthy relationship with these substances and if the desire is there to yes reintroduce these substances and/or behaviours or to possibly continue abstinence. 

One Day at a Time.

Classic 12 Steps of the 12 Step Addiction Recovery Programs

4.  To Go Without is to Go Within (Feel to Heal)

As I woke up on day number 42 of my latest 9th attempt of the 75 hard program realizing that I forgot to read my pages,  WOW! Really Really!?

Feeling like the worlds biggest looser and a fraud.  I just sat with it.  I processed it for an entire week.  Don’t be too quick to jump back on the horse.  

Sit with it. Process it. Ask WHY. Meditate.  Go IN.

I had lost way before day 40.  I had been sneaking bits of forbidden foods the whole time.  Principle #1 admit and acknowledge your addictions. So today I’m day 7 being CLEAN (the six substances) No Alcohol, Drugs, Caffeine, Added Sugar, Gluten, or Dairy.  None of it.  

I feel great.  I feel clear and I have no interference. 

But it's still not easy.
 

1. Identify your triggers: stress, emotions, mental state.

2. Feel to heal. Sit with the discomfort. Sit with the hunger and the cravings.

3. Learn and adapt to go without.  Eliminating these substances contributes to healing your inner biochemistry.  

4. Build and Strengthen your mental muscles: willpower, saying NO, abstaining. 

5. The G word.

I can’t think of one single recovery and healing story where there wasn’t the presence of the G Word.  GOD.  A higher force outside of yourself.  A higher level of consciousness, prayer, inner knowing, inner wisdom, inner knowledge. 
 

Sometimes we have to eliminate something to get to the life god intended us to live.  A life of meaning and happiness.  

I hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter/blog and don't forget to check out our brand new podcast version of the Freedom 5 weekly.

 

If you would like support over the next month, 3 months, 6 months, contact us today to get started on a personalized plan to rebalance your health. 
 

Book your complementary consultation today.

Contact us today to get started!

44: Toxins in Tap Water and How these Chemicals Impact Health, Fluoridation on Trial, Water Filter Reviews, Next Level Water Upgrades

1. Toxins in your Tap Water

Basically anything that goes down the drain can enter our water systems. 

WHY is it important to reduce toxins from our water supply?

The greater the toxic load, the harder the liver and immune system has to work.  

Overtime the liver gets bogged down with so much and becomes less effective at filtering out the daily toxins which puts more and more stress and burden on the immune system.

Many harmful toxins are fat soluble in which the liver, through detoxification, must convert these fat soluble toxins to water soluble compounds so that they can be excreted and eliminated from the body through sweat, urine, stool, and/or breath.  Unfortunately, many of these toxins do not get properly converted and removed which means they get stored up in our fat (adipose) tissues.  These toxins accumulate over time in our bodies which makes us feel sick and unwell as we age.  

Read more on Liver Detox here: Edition 28 Spring Clean the Body

What may be coming out of your tap?

This is not a complete list, but possible toxins found in tap water may include;

Disinfectants: Chlorine, Bromine
Viruses
Parasites
Pathogenic Bacteria
Fecal Matter
Pharmaceutical Drugs
Trihalomethanes: chloroform, dibromochloromethane, bromodichloromethane, bromoform
Inorganic minerals: Chloramine, Chloride, Chlorine Residual, Free Chlorine
Fluoride
Heavy Metals: Barium, Lead, Arsenic, Chromium, Aluminum, Mercury
Pesticides, Glyphosate, Atrazine 
VOC’s
Petroleum Products
Nitrites
Microplastics
PCB’s

Stay informed and learn more with the: Pesticide Action Network North America

2. Impacts of Tap Water on GUT Health, Brain Health, Hormones, Respiratory Health and more…

The Symptoms of long-term exposure, consumption, and inhalation of the chemicals found in tap water vary;

Low Thyroid
Brittle Bones
Weakened Digestion
Hormone Dysfunction
GERD, Acid Reflux
Eczema, Psoriasis
Fertility Issues
Calcification of Pineal Gland
Lowering of IQ in Children
ADD, ADHD
Autism
Mental Health Disorders
Arthritis

 Toxins impact our biology on a lot of levels.  Chlorine and other disinfectants are used to treat our water systems so that every day millions of people have access to potable water in the absence of waterborne  illness such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery.

However, as more disinfectant agents are added by municipalities to drinking, bathing, and recreational water to disinfect and kill bacteria, this same effect wipes out the good bacteria and probiotics in the human gut microbiome.  Long term consumption and exposure to chlorinated water can contribute to certain imbalances such as leaky gut, immune weaknesses, and other dis-eases within the body as mentioned above.

Additionally, when the disinfectant agent, chlorine, is combined with methane, a natural occurring compound found in water, this creates carcinogenic by-products called Trihalomethanes, a group of four chemicals; chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform.

When we take a hot shower, the chlorinated/brominated + other possible disinfectant by-products in the water change from a liquid to a gas state (the hot steamy vapours).  Inhaling in this hot steamy shower air into the lungs where then it gets passed directly to the blood stream.  Consequently the long-term exposure of chlorine ingestion and inhalation impacts our;

Brain Health
Liver Function (reducing liver detox abilities and glutathione levels)
Respiratory Health
Energy (mitochondria)
Gastrointestinal Health 
Hormone Function

Certain government websites advise us to open the window, lower the shower temperature, or make sure the space is well ventilated, but this isn't really dealing with the harmful chemicals.

Boiling or distilling water results in the evaporation of certain chemical compounds, but not their actual removal.  Boiling water doesn't purify or remove chemical toxins from your water and with distillation, unless there is an extra filtration step, there is a risk that the evaporated chemical compounds reinfect the water. 

It is never a good idea to drink tap water in my opinion. In 1992 the American Journal of Public Health published a report that showed a 15% to 35% increase in certain types of cancer for people who consume chlorinated water. This report also stated that much of these effects were due to showering in chlorinated water. The National Cancer Institute and the US Council of Environmental Quality estimates cancer risks for people who consume chlorinated water to be 93% higher than for people who do not. There are some significant risks related to consuming chlorine and chlorinated by-products.

Halogen Compounds Impact Hormone Health

Chlorine, Fluoride and Bromine interfere with absorption of key nutrients like iodine because these halogen compounds can be uptaken by different receptors in the body found in the thyroid, pineal, as well as reproductive organs. Thyroid uses iodine as nourishment, but fluoride and chlorine can be uptaken by the thyroid gland instead, therefore blocking  the need for iodine. In Germany and in Austria since the 1930s doctors used to bathe patients with overactive thyroid in tubs containing fluoridated water because it is a known halogen.  

This is why there is a strong correlation with high levels of these compounds and brain, thyroid, metabolism, and reproductive health disorders.

3. Fluoridation on trial

Watch here

Fluoridation on Trial – Prenatal fluoride exposure is associated with large and significant reductions in IQ. Robert F. Kennedy Junior discusses lawsuit against the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to end fluoridation of drinking water took another giant step forward. 

Read also Canadian scientist Bruce Lanphear MD’s declaration to the court

Fluoride is a confirmed poison.   

The #1 call that the American Association of Poison Control Centres receives daily is from parents of sick children that have eaten toothpaste.Fluoridated tap water and toothpaste consumption  have been shown to correlate with certain health conditions:Low thyroid, brittle bones, weakened digestion, hormone dysfunction, GERD, acid reflux, eczema, psoriasis, fertility issues, calcification of the pineal gland, mental health disorders, arthritis, and more.Health authorities and municipalities continue to advocate the safety in small amounts, but that's the problem.  It's the slow poisoning of our bodies by chemicals that leads to an overflow of the proverbial rain barrel, what we consider dis-ease in the body. European countries that do not add fluoride to their water show no increase in cavities versus municipalities that do.  97% of  European municipalities do not add fluoride to public drinking water.

Source: Fluoride Action Network

4.  Water Filter Options

First and foremost there isn’t ONE best water purification system on the market. Pure 100% water does not exist naturally on our planet. There is no place that is just water, like distilled water. There are always minerals and other substances contained in water.

Every modality has a list of pros and cons based on your personal budget, circumstances, and individual needs.

There are 3 main methods to purifying water: Carbon filters, Reverse Osmosis, and Distillation.

Activated Carbon

There are 2 types of carbon filters; granulated carbon and solid block filters. Granulated carbon filters have air spaces between the carbon particles to trap bacteria and remove it from water, but bacteria can multiply within the air spaces. Silver is used in most granulated filters to kill bacteria, but there are concerns about ineffectiveness and silver toxicity. These filters are very economical, but their use is short-lived and safety is questionable.

An activated carbon block removes most chemicals through absorption (electromagnetically attracting chemicals to the block itself). Chemicals removed in this way typically include chloramines, chlordane, lead, mercury, MTBE, PCBs, toxaphene, VOCs such as toluene and xylene. Solid carbon block filter’s effectiveness depend on their micron rating and their volume of water treated (they can only hold a limited amount of sediment). They should be changed regularly to avoid dumping more bacteria and chemicals back into the water. Depending on the manufacturer, a carbon filter may clean from 500 - 3000 gallons of water, each unit will vary on the amount of sediment in the incoming water and should be changed at about 75% of its maximum capacity. Calculate your average daily use and mark a time change on the calendar.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis RO filters remove almost all toxins including minerals. These systems usually have multiple filters allowing different sized chemical and toxin molecules to pass through different steps including a carbon pre and/or end filter. There are also usually options to remineralize the water. RO units can range in size making 3 to 10 gallons a day and also tend to be at one of highest price points ($1000 -$4500). Some authorities believe that RO is the best way to purify water; Although there are some disadvantages to these systems and quality will vary based on manufacturers. The general life of an RO filter typically lasts 5 years and the carbon filters would need to be replaced more often depending on consumption. The unit may require various maintenance and repairs along the way. One main advantage to investing into a whole-home RO system is that there is the option to filter the water coming out of every faucet in your home.

"The average 10-minute shower is the equivalent to drinking 20 gallons of tap water."
-Dr. Shulze, Detox Special Report, April 2013

If you do not use a whole-home filtration system, there are options to filter individual bath and shower faucets. I currently use and recommend the Sprite Bath Ball and the Sprite Shower filter which is available with or without a shower head.   These are universal and work with most bath and showers. 

Distilled Water

The distillation process involves vaporizing water (turning it into steam) in one chamber and then condensing it into liquid in a separate chamber. This process removes most minerals, organisms, and chemicals from the water. However; VOCs such as xylene that have a higher boiling point than water will not be removed. Some very basic distillers do not remove chlorine/chloramine and other volatile gasses such as petroleum, oil, gasoline, and many pesticides are able to transfer across during distillation. Newer distillers on the market are fitted with additional filtration devices to block out anything that may distill over with the water, as well as, an activated post carbon filter.

The main disadvantage with distilled water is that they are fairly expensive and require a lot of electrical energy and significant time for water to be distilled (about 5 hours per gallon).

Based on these 3 methods of water purification, there is still some controversy on which way is the best way. In my opinion, there is no best way and in an ideal scenario, we are using a combination of the 3 above methods.

Some believe that regularly consuming distilled water may cause mineral deficiencies while others say we should be drinking demineralized water because the minerals found in water are inorganic. Both of these statements are only half true.

The bottom line is that;

1. Chemicals are not good for us and we need to get them out of our drinking and cooking water.

2. Chemicals create deficiency.

3. Minerals levels in water are not anywhere sufficient to satisfy body nutritional needs.

5. Integrative Health Solutions

Decide on a filtration system for your kitchen, drinking, and cooking water and understand that it may not be perfect. If you are drinking, cooking, and bathing in tap water right now, take the next best step to upgrade ASAP, step 1.

This is one of the most important and crucial first investments if you haven't done so already for your health.

Next Steps...

1. One of the best low investment water purification first steps (an upgrade from tap water) would be to go with the solid carbon block filter, the Big Berkey ($300-$450).  It uses gravity and carbon blocks plus fluoride filter attachments (no electricity, no hookups, portable).  What does the Berkey countertop filter remove? Complete List.

2. Remineralize your water with trace mineral drops, CT Minerals (Cellcore), or even consider a mineral complex supplement (Designs for Health, Thorne)

3. Alkalize your water with a squeeze of lemon/lime or a greens powder (Mother Earth Labs, Can Prev)

3. Start your morning with a natural electrolyte sea salt + lemon/lime

4. Focus on nutrient-dense hydrating foods over plain water (smoothies, soups, juicing recipes) whole foods lifestyle (3 structured meals for weight maintenance). Get in some more alkalinity with fresh-pressed green juice.

5. Ozone generators, such as the TheraO3, can be used to sanitize all of your food sources by simply bubbling the low Gamma O3 into your kitchen sink filled with tap water. Within minutes your tap water transforms into a sanitation station and can sterilize and disinfect all forms of unhealthy foreign bacteria, viruses, parasites.

6. Rain Barrels help save on water costs and your gardens prefer the natural rain water.  

7. In emergency situations or when traveling, consider the life straw, and/or iodine-based germicidal tablets.

8. If you are feeling stuck in your wellness journey, have a high toxic load, or perhaps dealing with a chronic or long-term illness, you may want to consider a counter-top distiller by my pure water as a next step.

Have a great week and I hope you enjoyed this article all about water and living with more harmony and wellness.

Keep leveling-up and improving your health and wellness.

Stephanie

If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed on where to start and would like an unbiased professional opinion book a complementary consultation today.

Contact us today to get started!

42: Commit to these 5 health pillars everyday forever and 5 Lessons for a Sustainable Success Mindset

 🧠 Edition 42: Don't wait for Motivation

Lessons from my 75 hard program.  There is never a convenient time to start.  There's been a lot of day ones and a lot of lessons in the daily journey.  And that is the biggest take away to date: Release the expectation of getting to the last day.  
 

Take as much time needed and slow down enough to hear the lessons in the daily human struggle of meeting your goals and desires. But don't stop.  Stay in the game, because it's the daily lessons of the journey that are the true WINS!

Here are 5 main lessons in the journey so far that I want to share:

1. Discipline is different than motivation.  Stop waiting for motivation to show up.  Staying disciplined and committed to the daily follow-through is what brings success. AND the follow-through is the highest form of self respect and reprogramming there is. 

2. Enjoyment vs. Awefulizing the process.  This is a big one! The internal dialogue of dreading and monumentalizing, I can't believe how I would work myself up, but once I just started, it was never that bad.  Also if you don't like something, like running, then don't run. Find daily movement activities that you enjoy.  Face the fact that it's not going to be 100% enjoyment the whole time. 

3. Efficiency.  Just get it done.  Another big one!  Time is one of the biggest excuses of the book.  From start to finish, it's max 2 hours out of 24 hours to dedicate to exercise and reading which I don't think is unreasonable.  Eating healthy, drinking water, and snapping a picture don't really take much time.  It's more about planning and mindfulness.  Again, go back to observing and changing  the mind chatter.  There's time to do this!

4. Define your standards.  There's levels to this.  Acknowledge the level of acceptable personal standards and start where you're at without comparing other people's program.  If it's just doing 75 days of 1.5 hours of walking daily, then start there.  We are not training for a body transformation competition here!  It's never about burnout, but consistency and follow-through. Same with the nutrition plan, decide what your standards are and stick to them.  Another life metaphor!

5. Ego.  Release the excuses coming from the Ego in a place of fixed vs. growth mindset.  Each time that I've "failed", I find myself criticizing the program saying things like "it's designed to break you physically, it's too restrictive, this is not healthy, you're going to damage your adrenals, it's too stressful" etc.  But the truth is that none of that is true.  It boils down to learning better time management, planning, mindset, and listening to your body of when you need to scale back the difficulty.  It's the difference between scaling back vs. quitting. Remember just walking counts.   Look at failure as feedback, we are only learning or winning, never losing.  So when you feel yourself criticizing, blaming, or making excuses, it is usually from a place of EGO which holds us back, protects, keeps us from achieving new levels, higher standards, and overall growth.

Have a look at the 5 pillars to the 75 hard program.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Commit to a Nutrition Plan: Define and Put Nutrition Standards in Place.

2. Commit to Moving your Body: EVERY DAY rain or shine.

3. Commit to Hydration: Start each day with Natural Gatorade (Lemon/Lime + Pink/Sea Salt) and continue with 6-7 glasses of clean water.

4. Commit to Reading Self Development

5. Commit to Tracking Progress

“Think less about how your leaders are leading your world, and more about how you are leading your life. Our leaders reflect our consciousness. While there are steps we can take to improve our leaders, the first step is to upgrade our own walk.

Your power to change the world begins with your power to change yourself.  What is within you is greater than what is around you.”

- The Tao Made Easy by Alan Cohen
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
That is my WHY I commit.   I just DECIDE to make the daily commitment to an upgraded walk.  To do these 5 things of the 75 Hard Program and as I take this very personal journey, I am touching and teaching others along the way. 

You can do it too.  

Enjoy this week! and Commit.  Don't wait for motivation or a convenient time. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨🙏❤️
Stephanie
#thefreedomtolive

41: Omega Testing, Fatigue and Mineral Balancing, Thyroid & Adrenal Function, Build your At Home Doctor's Office

🧠 Edition 41
 

A Detailed LOOK on Health Foundations with 2 key yet very often overlooked Functional Labs 

True Health starts at a Foundational LEVEL .
 Let's Dive into this! 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. OmegaScore: Assess your Cardiovascular and Brain Health

Here is a PERFECT example of missing one of the basic foundations: OMEGA balance.  

So for you that have been following me for quite some time, know  how healthy I eat and live.  

BUT do I eat fish regularly? 🙄
Am I dedicated to taking that daily dose of fish oil? 🙄

I could improve, in fact, I NEED to IMPROVE and it's written here in black and white: HIGH-RISK.
 

Sometimes, it's this, the writing on the wall, because frankly, NO I'm not always motivated to take my daily fish oil.

For friends, family, referrals, and newsletter readers, I'm offering this powerful lab combo that can truly change you life! (OMEGA SCORE + the Metals and Minerals Test) for $199.00 + hst *CAD (save $130 !!!)
*No tax for International residents.  **Shipping charges may apply.
*** Your labs include a detailed intake assessment, lab interpretation, and a 6 month plan based on your results. 

Contact us today to get started!

2. Fatigue: Energy and Minerals

The work of Dr. Paul Eck, a scientist and mineral researcher from Phoenix, Arizona has been studying this field for over 40 years having analyzed over 200,000 hair samples to determine mineral patterns.  Unfortunately, as is with much of the natural health industry,  leaders like Dr. Eck have received very little publicity and are virtually unknown.

Looking at individuals mineral levels and the ratios between the four most abundant minerals in the body;

• Calcium (Ca)

• Magnesium (Mg)

• Sodium (Na)

• Potassium (K)

Speaks volumes about a persons health status and can determine if the thyroid and adrenal glands will be able to produce maximum levels of energy.  

Unfortunately very few people are aware of how deficient and out of balance their individual mineral ratios really are.  

With depleted soils and convenience foods,

People simply do not get the required daily amounts of minerals in their diet.  People are blindly taking supplements but do not know how much to take, or if they are even working to correct imbalances. 

3.  How Minerals Affect Thyroid and Adrenal Function

The calcium (Ca) to potassium (K) ratio is considered the "thyroid ratio" which is optimally at a 4:1, the greater the ratio between calcium to potassium, the weaker the thyroid gland will become overtime.  

Calcium and potassium are two specific minerals which regulate the thyroid gland, so if a person has too much calcium in his tissues in proportion to potassium, he will have an underachieve thyroid gland.  Inversely if he has an excess of potassium in relation to calcium in his tissues, he will have an overactive thyroid gland. 

To bring the minerals back into balance, it always involves a multi-factor approach.  Typically, we are working on:

1. Increasing the synergists: magnesium, selenium, Vitamin D among other nutrients.

2. Balance chronic stress.

3. Incorporate more fresh whole foods rich in potassium (eliminate sugars and processed foods).

4. Improve digestion: leaky gut, elimination, and absorption.

5. Re-test a hair tissue sample in 8 months to assess the effectiveness of the plan. 

4. Mineral Balance in Practice

 

Let's look at the calcium (Ca) to potassium (K) ratio, the "Thyroid Ratio".  The normal maximum energy level is 4.0.

This person, yours truly, has a ratio of 9.36.  A ratio between 6-10 equates to adequate energy levels, but still at a 20-30% energy loss (under-active/slow thyroid).   By the way, my functional complete Thyroid panel levels are stellar! 

The real secret to understanding human health is to understand the ratios between individual minerals.

Even a 10% energy loss will greatly affect energy and vitality.

Unfortunately I see a majority of people with a calcium to potassium ratio between 20 - 40 above the ideal 4.0 which indicates a 75% - 85% or more energy loss.  These people have very poor energy levels.  

I've actually seen it as high as 200.  This person had very little energy and had every test done in the book by conventional doctors with little answers except: welcome to your 60s. 

For friends, family, referrals, and newsletter readers, I'm offering this powerful lab combo that can truly change your life (OMEGA SCORE + the Metals and Minerals Test) for $199.00 + hst *CAD (save $130 !!!) *No tax for International residents.  **Shipping charges may apply.

***Your labs include a detailed intake assessment, lab interpretation, and a 6 month plan based on your results. 

Contact us today to get started!

5. Build your At Home Doctor's Office

https://youtu.be/f4gqEUFAcB8

To monitor your daily health status, it is recommended to regularly check your;

1) Body temperature (Thermometer)
2) Oxygen levels and heart rate (Oximeter)
3) Blood sugar (Glucometer), and
4) Blood pressure (Blood Pressure Monitor)

Watch the above video on how to get your own home doctor's office set up. 

Thank you for reading this week's newsletter!  There's always an underlying answer to WHY you do not feel well and it's NEVER too late to start rebalancing your health from an root cause level.

Enjoy your week!

❤️ Stephanie

40: Gut Health, Mostly Plants, Relaxation Techniques, Stories we Tell Ourselves, Exercise and Longevity

🧠 Edition 40 Back to Health Basics 🌱
 

This week is all about reviewing and implementing the basic HEALTH pillars. Let's Do this! 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Health Starts in the GUT: 5 steps to rebalancing your gut health.

Gut health is at the centre of human health and it’s no wonder that the gastrointestinal system is often referenced as our second brain and the body’s first line of defence against illness.  To get well, lose weight, or fix digestion, often it’s about looking deeper at healing your gut where the hidden underlying root causes of imbalance typically reside. Until you fix your gut, your immune system is going to be imbalanced as proteins spill over into the bloodstream acting as foreign objects.  It is only after the removal of fungal, bacterial overgrowth, parasites, or pathogens, that you’ll be able to fully reduce inflammation.

The long-term benefits of rebalancing the gut can include:

• Improved digestion and nutrient absorption

• Clearer thinking

• Deeper sleep

• Vibrant skin

• Increased Energy

• Weight loss

There are several common symptoms of gut dysbiosis, a condition where the bacterial colonies of the gastrointestinal system are out of balance, which is closely associated with several other conditions including: IBS, colitis, candida, celiac disease, leaky gut, PCOS, chronic UTIs, as well as skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

Read the full article here: 5 Steps to Rebalancing your Gut Health by Stephanie Jackson

2. Eat Food, Mostly Plants, Not Too Much.

Michael Pollan summed up in seven words, everything he's learned about food and health, : "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

"Eat food" refers to real food: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and, wild fish and grass-fed meat  and to avoid what Pollan calls "edible food-like substances".

Here are Michael Pollan's 7 golden guidelines:

1. Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. 

2. Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

3. Stay out of the middle of the supermarket; shop on the perimeter of the store. 

4. Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot. 

5. It is not just what you eat but how you eat. Many cultures have rules that you stop eating before you are full. 

6. Eat as a family/with people you love at a table and not a TV, at regular meal times. 

7. Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline. 

3.  Rebalance the Sympathetic : Parasympathetic Nervous System with Relaxation Techniques.

Book a 1 hour Full Integrative Health Assessment today that covers all the pillars of the IHP system: nutrition, exercise, recovery, biochemistry, emotional, mindset and spiritual balance and start on your personalized action plan.

Earn your edge, get well, and live longer!

Schedule Your Session Today!

4. Mindset & Emotional Balance

5. Exercise

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDby7OMHKpr/

Researchers have estimated that for every hour of exercise, there is a two-hour increase in longevity.
 

Murray, Michael T.,Pizzorno, Joseph. The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine Third Edition (p. 207). Atria Books. Kindle Edition.