I see myself as a partner in my patient´s health journey. A large part of what I do is teach patients how to get well and stay healthy. But the first step in any program is for you, the patient, to take responsibility for your own health.
I practice what I call Good Medicine, combining the best of modern contemporary medicine with the best of alternative and complementary medicines. It blends the knowledge we´ve gained from science with wisdom from ancient healing traditions.
Most diseases do not have a single cause, multiple factors are usually involved. They are a result of multiple, complex, interacting factors which are not addressed when we look for a single cause and a magic bullet treatment.
What I try to do is restore function or improve function. I try to restore the ability of the body to adapt to the stresses of life or support the tissues that have failed to adapt adequately.
Most patients I see in my practice are what I call the “walking wounded”, not sick enough to be in hospital but in enough discomfort that they know something is wrong.
As we all look different on the outside, we are also biochemically unique on the inside. There is no such thing as one right diet for everyone or for that matter the right supplements or exercise routine. We are all as unique as our fingerprints.
Food is “data” that the body uses to direct the complex actions that keep us vibrantly alive, so loading up on junk food is like taking the fast lane to a giant system failure.
My philosophy is simple, bring the body back to rhythm. We are rhythmic beings, but our modern lives have thrown these rhythms off. We have outpaced our biology.
When our rhythms are in sync, life flows easily, we have more energy and everyday tasks are easier to perform. Athletes call this “being in the zone or having their game on”. Finding your “groove” is not just psychological, it is physiological too.
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MYTH Strenuous exercise outdoors is the best way to cleanse toxins out of your body.
FACT- Environmental Toxins (pollution) are a major consideration when you exercise outside. As your workout becomes more strenuous you breathe deeper and faster, this magnifies the negative effects of the toxins and increases your exposure.
MYTH - In the city, a sunny, windless day is sure to be low in toxic emissions.
FACT- Sunny afternoons without wind are actually the worst for toxic ozone emissions. The action of sunlight on nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons from car emissions creates high concentrations of ozone. If you live in the city, it’s best to avoid strenuous outdoor exercise in these conditions.
MYTH – When you detox you should exercise heavily to clean out your body.
FACT- During a formal detox program, it is best to limit exercise while the body rejuvenates. Over exercising is to be avoided at all times, always balance exercise with recovery.
MYTH - It takes a large time commitment to develop strong muscles
FACT – It takes literally minutes. The body enhances it’s muscles because of a high effort, not long duration. Muscle cells experience damage. This happens as muscles lengthen under a heavy load. This stimulates the repair and growth process. It is quite similar to the way skin can be rejuvenated as a result of exfoliation.
MYTH – Building muscles is unimportant to overall health.
FACT – Building and maintaining muscles is essential to overall health. Muscles are our largest storage depot for glycogen. Glycogen is the way we store carbohydrates for use as energy. We are always confronted with the temptation of eating too many carbs. When we eat, especially starches and sweets, we require the hormone insulin to help us store these energy foods. Maintaining our sensitivity to the hormone insulin is imperative to good health. Increased muscle mass provides us with greater storage capacity, this means fewer carbs are converted to fat! Also, it has been shown as we become stronger, we spontaneously move more and therefore an upward spiral of health is created.
ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system that is movement based.
The technique is used to treat problems that involve the muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves.
ART uses the examiners hands to apply the technique. The main goal is to reestablish proper motion between muscles and fascia while reducing fibrous adhesions. Ultimately myofascial (muscle and fascia) and neural (nerves) glide is reestablished allowing for proper function.
The technique can be used on patients with acute, chronic, overuse, repetitive strain injuries and postoperative cases of all types. The number of postoperative cases ART providers see is growing steadily due to the scar tissue development involved in healing.
Who can benefit from ART?
Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar null, knee problems, and tennis elbow are a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and many times permanently with ART. These conditions have an important thing in common; they are often a result of overused muscles.
How is ART different from other soft tissue techniques?
ART® uses movement of the patient to create tension on scar tissue. Every session combines an examination and treatment, which targets the soft tissue that has been injured. ART treats specific muscles, which target the exact area of the scar within each tissue. Unlike massage or other myofascial release techniques, ART® has over 500 specific protocols that treat affected areas of the body.
What is scar tissue and what are its causes?
Scar tissue is dense fibrous material that body creates to connect and bind injured tissue. The problem occurs when that same scar tissue binds to surrounding structures like “glue” which occurs more often than thought. If a nerve runs through a muscle in an area where scar tissue had laid, the nerve can be “pinched”, pulled or entrapped by that adhesion which can cause it to trigger pain. The process can limit motion over-stimulating or overworking healthy tissue, which can also lead to pain and discomfort.
How does overuse/ repetitive stress cause scar tissue?
Overuse or repetitive stress increases the tension in the tissues of the body. Chronic tension applied to the tissue decreases the blood supply, causing the body to form adhesions. (Examples of repetitive stress could be; poor posture, improper exercise form, athletic pursuits, improper ergonomic at the work place.)
I believe a lack of flexibility is the root cause or major contributing factor of many injuries and stretching is the solution to this lack of flexibility. It counters the gradual tightening and constriction we all develop from both under- and over-use of our body. It is the perfect antidote for long periods of inactivity and holding still and is just about the simplest of all physical activities.
Regular stretching will:
Precautions
Don’t stretch an area if you:
Skin Detox
Fads come and go and people tend to find one that catches their fancy, jump in, and then never look back. One of the biggest fad crazes over the years has been detox cleansing. It seems there is always another “must do” cleanse. We’ve seen everything from lemon juice or grapefruit, to apple cider vinegar and fruit juice.
Truth be told, I cannot say enough in favor of detoxifying. We offer a complete line of detoxifying products and detoxifying wraps at my stores and spas. It is imperative to detox your skin in order to keep it healthy, glowing and youthful. Our skin is constantly absorbing the chemicals we are applying to it as well as others we are exposed to environmentally. For our skin to function properly, we need to rid it of as much toxins as possible.
By removing the chemicals that clog your pores, and enter your blood stream from all the products you apply or “wash” with, you allow your skin to function and breathe properly. Once the toxic chemicals are removed and the more you reduce your exposure, the less energy your body will spend on fighting off the toxins and waste, the more energy will be available for health and healing and repair of skin.
DETOX DEEP PORE CLEANING
Why you need it:
Symptoms of skin that needs a deep cleaning can range from breakouts, irritation, redness and inflammation, to excessive dryness, oiliness, and premature aging . It is imperative to routinely have a deep pore cleaning for all skin types. This treatment or products are designed to go deep into your pores, break up all the old oil, dirt and chemical build up, adhere to it and pull it all out. Maintaining clear pores allows your skin to breathe and function properly. It promotes natural oil balance, stops oils in the skin from going rancid and breaking down collagen and allows your skin to receive nutrients, vitamins and minerals. If you want a youthful glow and younger looking skin, a detoxing is a must.
Things you can do
Tips and tricks
”Heat and Ice” Opening and closing your pores helps to expel built up toxins and chemicals. Using the recipe below, alternate the tonic applying in warm on a wash cloth and cold as ice.
Recipes
Detox Tonic
Place all ingredients except apple cider vinegar and evening primrose oil, in a pot with 6 cups of water and simmer until it reduces to half the amount of liquid. Let cool, add apple cider vinegar and evening primrose oil.
Make some of the liquid into ice cubes and keep the rest in the refrigerator. You can use this as a toner, facial splash or for the heat and ice treatment.