Your liver is such an extraordinary organ; it performs over 600 vital functions in your body. It regulates most chemical levels in the blood. Here are some of its functions:

• Produces bile to break down fats & eliminate fat-soluble toxins end excess substances
• Regulates sex hormone levels & eliminates excess hormones
• Produces cholesterol and special proteins to help carry fats through the body
• Converts excess glucose into glycogen for storage (glycogen can later be converted back to glucose for energy)
• Stores vitamins & minerals, such us iron
• Filters blood, regulates blood clotting & storing extra blood for quick release
• Converts poisonous ammonia to urea (urea is an end product of protein metabolism and is excreted in the urine)
• Metabolizes drugs & breaks down alcohol
• Resists infections by producing immune factors and removing bacteria from the bloodstream

If the liver becomes overburdened because of insufficient nutrients, the toxins or waste build up and the excess can escape back into the body leading to serious health concerns.

Liver congestion is a major problem with nearly every person who seeks out aid from a health professional for most issues, yet the liver congestion is rarely addressed. This is why most people with chronic health conditions are merely managing their symptoms rather than restoring the body’s normal physiology and seeing true freedom from chronic disease.

Furthermore, for those seeking to optimize their health, the old adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure” truly applies here.  Chronic liver congestion takes years before becoming apparent and before the real damage becomes apparent.

As your liver becomes stressed, symptoms of liver toxicity may begin to become noticeable. When the liver is not working “efficiently”, it gets “backed up“. Some of the common potential symptoms of the liver not functioning optimally include:

• Digestive problems include burping, bloating, intestinal gas, abdominal discomfort or pain, and undigested food substances in the stool.
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Chemical sensitivities such as reactions to gasoline, cleaning agents, soaps, cosmetics and perfumes.
• Rashes and various types of skin problems or reactions
• Eye problems such as blurred vision, eye floaters, twitching, eye pain, decreasing in eyesight or eyesight clarity.
• Difficulty sleeping – especially falling asleep or waking up prematurely ­­
• Tendon or muscle problems such as frequent sprains, strains, muscle injuries, or slow muscle healing
• Menstrual or menopausal problems
• Headaches (especially pain at the vertex of the head or throbbing headaches.)

Let’s discuss some of the steps you can take to help your liver function at its optimum level.

On the market you will find many liver cleanse products, one thing I would like for you to keep in mind that cleansing your liver is a process that you have to lead up to. You can’t be eating  donuts one day & decide to do a liver cleanse the next day. You’ll be putting too much stress on your digestive system & detox organs.

To do a proper liver cleanse you need to:

1.    Clean up your eating habits, you all know what foods you should & shouldn’t be eating. You know so much about this that I think each of you can write a bookJ

2.    Reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, this means starting to use chemical free personal care products since many of them contain hormones that can interfere with proper liver function. Learn about your products here

3.    Start with Wild pollen/Canadian honey recipe

4.    Start doing something relaxing 5-15 minutes every day. It could be meditating, walking, sitting in a dark quiet room, doing yoga, etc. Do what relaxes you. According to Ancient Chinese Medicine if you or someone you know has excessive anger issues then your liver function is compromised.

5.    After finishing with Wild pollen/Canadian honey start on Mini Liver Flush

6.    For further directions please contact our office by phone 818.302.0024 or email: info@therapeuticeffectplus.com

Wild Pollen & Canadian Honey Mixture

1. Take one jar of each of the Wild Pollen and Canadian Honey
2. Take a quart size mason jar and put one-half of the container of the Canadian Honey on the bottom.
3. Add the contents of the Wild Pollen
4. Finish filling the rest of the jar with the balance of the honey.
5. With a spoon vigorously mix the contents until fully mixed.
6. Then put the covered jar of the mixture in a cupboard or dark place and let set for 5 days.
7. Now the mixture is both ready and fully preserved.

Taking of the Wild Pollen/Canadian Honey Mixture

1. Begin by taking a half a teaspoon and put into warm water, stir and drink as a tea.
2. Do this for a couple of days – if you begin to experience sinus congestion, stay at this level until the congestion passes.
3. When there is no more congestion, increase to a full teaspoon.
4. When after a couple of days with no sinus congestion, increase to a teaspoon and a half in warm water.
5. When after a couple of days with no sinus congestion, increase to two teaspoons
6. When after a couple of days with no sinus congestion, increase to two and a half teaspoons and in warm water.
7. When after a couple of days with no sinus congestion, increase to three teaspoons

At this point you are ready to take the mixture straight

1. Begin with a teaspoon straight, again looking to see if sinus mucus results and if so stay at this level until it passes.
2. Then go to 2 teaspoons – same observation
3. Then go to 3 teaspoons.
When you are at three teaspoons daily without any sinus mucus reactions, you are then ready to begin the “Mini Liver/Gallbladder” Flushes

Mini Liver Flush

1. Learning and memory
2. Metabolism and weight
3. Mood
4. Cardiovascular health
5. Immune function

Survey conducted by National Sleep Foundation reveal that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders & 60% of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week.

Let’s discuss some of the factors that may affect the quality of your sleep:

• Stress – Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night? When stressed your adrenals release cortisol & adrenaline which are excitatory hormones.
• Alcohol – You may feel like you are getting a better sleep after couple of alcoholic beverages but the review of 27 studies shows that alcohol actually reduces REM sleep. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. It’s the stage of sleep when people dream and it’s thought to be restorative. Disruptions in REM sleep may cause daytime drowsiness, poor concentration, etc.
• Traveling – Especially traveling across several time zones, This can upset your biological clock also known as “circadian rhythm” Below see exercises
• Environmental Factors – Room that’s too hot or cold, too noisy or too brightly lit can affect your sleep.
• Electromagnetic Field - EMF’s are electrical and magnetic negative energy fields  which are  invisible lines of force associated with the production, transmission and use of electric power such as those associated with high-voltage transmission lines, secondary power lines and home wiring and lighting. They weaken the human biofield, degrade the individual cells and can disrupt normal biological functions including sleep.

Working the night shift, sleeping near a constant light source can dramatically lower your melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that controls your sleep/awake cycle, it has strong antioxidant effects, helping us to battle the daily wear and tear effects of free-radicals and thereby slow cellular aging, it is also a powerful regulator of sex hormone production.

If you are one of the 40 million Americans that are suffering from sleep then what steps you can take to improve your sleep? Here are some suggestions for you:

• Go to bed at the same time every night
• Have a pre-bedtime routine, take a worm bath/shower, read a book, listen to a relaxing music
• Expose your body to sunlight during the day, remove your sunglasses. Sunlight exposure during the day will help your body to create more melatonin at night
• Your bedroom should be dark, quiet & cool. Any light from a TV, computer or a nightlight will interfere with your bodies’ melatonin production.
• Eat/drink 2-3 hours before bedtime
• Often walk barefoot on grass, dirt or at the beach, this will reset you bodies internal clock
• Keep your bedroom free of electrical appliances: computers, cell phones, microwaves, etc
• Get regular massage, people with insomnia tend to have low serotonin levels. Serotonin is a hormone produced by the body that is the precursor to the sleep hormone melatonin. Massage affects the biochemistry of the body. Besides   lowering the amount of stress hormone cortisol it also increases serotonin production. The increase in production of serotonin promotes a good night’s sleep. Massage also activates your parasympathetic nervous system. This slows your heart ­rate, lowers your blood pressure and makes you feel much more relaxed. For massage to help you get sleep get a massage as close to the end of the day as possible. After your massage avoid brightly lit areas and physically strenuous activity. You should use the time between your massage and sleep to wind down and relax.
• Beat Jet Lag Yoga:

After Flying East to West:

Stable & balancing posture will energize you & help you stay awake until bedtime

1. Stand with your feet parallel & your arms at your sides
2. Inhale, come up on your toes, and sweep your arms forward & up. Hold the breath for 3 seconds, keeping your chest expanded
3. Exhale, tighten your belly, and lower your heels & arms. Repeat this sequence 4 times
4. Inhale, come up on your toes, and sweep your arms out to the sides & overhead. Hold the breath for 3 seconds, keeping your chest expanded
5. Exhale, tighten your belly, and lower your heels & arms. Repeat this sequence 4 times

After Flying West to East:

Downward moving vital energy posture will calm you & help you sleep

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet off the floor, hands on knees, and arms straight
2. Inhale, tighten your belly, then exhale & slowly bring your knees towards your chest. Hold your breath at this posture for 2 seconds
3. Inhale, then exhale & move your knees away from your chest, straightening your arms
4. Repeat 8 times, progressively lengthening both the inhalation & the exhalation

You walk on them all day, but did you know your feet do more than carry you from one place to the next? They also have a unique connection to balanced health and well-being. In a form of bodywork known as reflexology, the feet are said to contain reflex areas that mirror and connect to all parts of the body–and pressure on these points can actually influence your state of health.

Reflexology is viewed primarily as a stress reduction or relaxation technique. Using the thumb, finger, and hand, gentle pressure is applied to reflex areas of the feet in order to decrease stress and bring the body into equilibrium.

Although simplistic in application, the effects of the treatment can be profound. Through activation of nerve receptors in the hands and feet, new messages flood into the body system, changing its tempo and tone. In essence, the foot or hand becomes a conduit for sharing information throughout the body. Function in the connecting area is improved and, at the same time, the body experiences overall relaxation and benefits to the circulation and elimination systems. When the body’s systems are at optimal functioning, self-healing is enhanced.

Scientific studies have documented the benefits of reflexology for a variety of ailments, ranging from reduction of pain, improvement in circulation, and release of tension, to improved effectiveness of medication, as well as benefits for diabetes and headaches.

In this sense, reflexology is not a medical treatment for specific symptoms or diseases, but rather a way to facilitate the body’s inherent healing power.

You can also do the following exercises daily to keep your feet healthy & happy: watch video

Maybe mom was right. Research suggests that surrounding yourself with friends and family who are happy can actually increase your own happiness.

Scientists at Harvard University and the University of California, San Diego, found that emotions, particularly happiness, have a viral effect in how they spread from one person to another. For every happy person in your physical social network, you have a 9 percent chance of increasing your own happiness. The effect is more pronounced the closer someone is to you geographically, and it does not seem to include electronic communications. The study, “Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Social Network,” can be found online in the British Medical Journal (www.bmj.com).

This is especially good news considering the potential health benefits of happiness and positivity. A study published in Stroke magazine has indicated a “significant association” between optimism and a reduced risk of stroke. This is in addition to studies that have linked optimism to a healthier immune system, faster wound healing, and a lower risk of heart disease. While the exact cause of the benefits is not clear, one theory is that optimistic people are more likely to take care of their health. In addition, there is hope that teaching optimism could become part of a preventative program for various conditions.

What’s one way to get happy? Try massage! Exposure to stress, a contributing factor to unhappiness, over a long period of time can increase the rate of neural degeneration and increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Luckily, a study from Umea University in Sweden has shown that just five minutes of massage has the potential to lower stress, and 80 minutes of massage has a tremendously positive effect on stress levels. Get massage, get happy, and cheer up your friends and family!

Please join us for a complementary Laughter Yoga Class on April 11th, see details here

Art Riggs

Our brain can physically change with learning, every time we learn something new brain creates new neural pathways. Exercising your brain is as important as exercising your body. What are some of the things you can do to enhance your brains plasticity?

• Playing different video games can stimulate different parts of the brain, Fitbrain.com, Lumosity.com

• Take a new rout to work                                          

• Brain Teasers

• Get a new hobby

• Learn a new language

Besides challenging and stimulating your brain proper nutrition is very important for healthy brain. The following foods will improve brain function: oily fish, walnuts, olive oil, coconut oil, spinach, dark chocolate (YUMMY), avocados, water, beets, garlic, berries.

There are foods that interfere with your brain function & can permanently damage nerve cells. According to Dr. Blaylock, the author of the book “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills” artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) can cause neurological diseases. Excitotoxins are substances that cause damage and eventually cell death. They are present in almost all processed foods, commercial soups, frozen foods. In many cases they are being added in disguised forms, such as natural flavoring, spices, yeast extract, textured protein, soy protein extract, etc. According to Dr. George Schwarts, toxicologist and the author of “In Bad Taste” MSG is a nerve poison. Our national consumption of MSG went from one million pounds in 1950 to 300 times that amount today. Some of the common symptoms of eating MSG may be: headaches, urinary problems, skin rushes, runny nose, insomnia, diarrhea, upset stomach, etc.

To keep your brain healthy:

• Improve blood sugar management

• Stimulate your brain

• Decrease inflammation

• Stay hydrated

• Proper nutrition

I personally love to exercise, I love nothing better then going for a run early in the morning on beautiful trails of Santa Monica mountains or going to the gym and swimming or hitting boxing bags. But not everyone finds exercising exciting, for some people it’s boring, it’s a task itself, something extra that they have to do.

March is a National Athletic Training Month and I thought it would be nice to mention or suggest some other forms of activities that can be very beneficial to your health & may even be FUN for you to do by yourself or with a loved one. Whenever we think of exercising we usually think of going to the gym lifting weights, running on a treadmill, sometimes we even get a personal trainer to MAKE us do the exercises.

Here are some other activities to consider & the calories you burn in 1 hour:

                 Yoga –  189 – 594+ calories depending on the style of yoga                            

                  Swimming – 400 – 600+ calories depending on your weight

                  Ballroom Dancing – 200 – 400+ calories

                   Zumba Class – 500 – 800+ calories

                   Horseback Riding – 175 – 550+ calories

According to PLOS Medicine study, exercise increases the life expectancy by several years. The bottom line is  find an activity or a combination of activities that you enjoy and do it several times a week. 

Another important point I would like to make here is that as a society we are conditioned to correlate being healthy with being thin. As a nutritionist of many years I can honestly say that its far from the truth.  I see every day in my office thin beautiful women but you look at their blood works or body composition and they are not healthy.   Exercise is the best way to prevent the age-associated decline of lean muscle mass and increase of body fat. Studies show that the average person loses about 6.6 pounds per decade of lean muscle mass beginning around age 25 and the rate of loss accelerates after age 45.

Being healthy from within, body-mind-spirit is more important then the number on your scale. This means paying attention to your eating habits & emotional state.

If you are interested in getting your body composition checked please contact our office 818.302.0024 for available appointment and mention this article to get the March special, $40 (regular price $65)

Reconnective Healing is a new form of energy healing that works with the energetic field around your body and raises the vibratory rates of that energy, releasing disruptions, or “disease”, and allowing the body to shift back to a state of health and wellness, which can facilitate healing on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.

 Though specific outcomes can not be guaranteed, reported healings have occurred involving deep peace and relaxation, alleviation of acute and chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, AIDS-related complaints, anxiety, addictions, fibromyalgia, trauma, depression, and numerous other afflictions.  Others have reported a new sense of wonder and wellness in life, renewed self-confidence, and soul-transforming experiences.

Featured earlier this week on Dr. Oz! http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-eric-peal-shares-some-tips

ONE TIME SPECIAL of $90/session until the end of February!! (Normally $120)

Jennifer also offers The Reconnection which is a once in a lifetime experience that has been described by many as life changing. It reconnects an individual to their higher purpose and tends to throw people onto their life path.

Available at the universal rate of $333 (a series of 2 sessions).
Book your Healing with Jennifer TODAY!

310.721.5991

JenniferReconnects@hotmail.com
www.JenniferReconnects.com

This pungent spice is found in cuisine around the globe, but ginger has also been used for more than 2,500 years for its medicinal properties. The ancient Chinese knew that it aided in the absorption of many herbal preparations and they prescribed it extensively as a digestive tonic.

A native root of southeast Asia, ginger is a potentially in the treatment of nausea, motion sickness, and joint pain. Current research confirms ginger’s efficacy as an anti-inflammatory, GI calmative, and antihistamine. The active ingredients found in ginger — gingerols and shagoals — lower levels of prostaglandins, the chemicals responsible for pain and inflammation in joints and muscles. By reducing prostaglandins, ginger can even have a positive effect on heart health and circulation because chronic, systemic inflammation increases the risk of heart attack and blood vessel compromise.

Ginger comes in several forms. Fresh and dried ginger is available in supermarkets for use in cooking. It’s also available in capsules, an extract pill form, prepackaged tea bags, crystallized, and as a topical oil.

Recommended Uses:

Motion Sickness and Nausea: Most medications for nausea and motion sickness work to calm the nervous system and can cause drowsiness and dry mouth. On the other hand, ginger calms the digestive tract directly and has been shown to reduce nausea after surgery and chemotherapy. For motion sickness, take 100 mg two hours before departure and every four hours afterwards or as needed.

Arthritis and Muscle Aches: Massage ginger oil into affected areas and/or take up to 1 g of powdered ginger daily to reduce inflammation.

Colds and Allergies: Drink up to 4 cups of ginger tea daily or enjoy authentic ginger ale (made from real ginger).

While ginger has no known side effects, it’s always a good idea to consult your health care practitioner to make sure it’s right for you.

My personal favorite is 1-2 oz of ginger juice first thing in the morning with cayenne pepper