Holistic Health Information
October, 2009 - Fall Immune System Boosts
As the fall approaches, and all of us gear up for cooler weather and the threat of the cold and flu season, it's time to strengthen and boost the immune system with preventative nutritional and stress-reducing measures.
You can boost your immune system by: getting a deep, restful 8 hours of sleep nightly; taking 15 minutes a day to engage in the restorative pose; and eating varied natural whole foods, especially the seasonal ones which include the root (vegetables, apples, pears, tangerines, persimmons, squash, etc.).
Cooking warm foods, like soups, casseroles, and baked dishes, helps keep your spleen, a crucial immune organ, warm and healthy. The cold fresh foods of summer will deplete it.
Vitamins A, C and D also help keep the immune system supported, especially the respiratory tract. In addition, taking about 30mg/day of zinc, is also crucial in protecting and supporting the immune system.
Nutritional immune boosters include colostrum, reishi, shitake and maitake mushroom complexes, Echinacea, astragalus, and pro-biotics.
Homeopathic flu remedies can also be taken preventatively to serve as vaccine-like protectors. Oscillococcinum, taken one dose every 12 hours, three consecutive times, inoculates your body to over 100 different kinds of viruses, without the negative side effects of medical vaccines.
Avoiding or greatly moderating the intake of refined sugar, coffee, and alcohol reduces the introduction of damaging chemicals and destroyers of your immune system and adrenal glands.
Maintaining a strong, healthy immune system and protecting your adrenal glands from the ravages of stress go a long way in preventing any viral infection from settling into your body.
Schedule an appointment today, to determine which immune-boosting strategies and supplements will be best for you! Visit my Encinitas chiropractor office for specials on wellness and chiropractic.
Wishing you all a healthy and strong Fall,
Dr. Debbie Novick
November, 2009 - The Importance of Sleep
As the holidays approach, and we encounter colder weather, family gatherings, more sugar in the diet, big meals, travel, parties, and alcohol consumption, our immune system and adrenals get taxed and challenged. It is a time of year to be reminded to moderate, take time to rest, and take extra care. Continuing our intake of immune protective vitamins is also important.
Getting eight hours of restful sleep every night is crucial, as this is the only time our brain and body are undergoing repair and regeneration. The first four hours of sleep are used to repair the physical body, while the last four hours are intended for psychic and emotional regeneration and repair.
In addition, in the first hours of sleep, our brain produces its highest amount of growth hormone and melatonin. Growth hormone is responsible for the growth of new and healthier cells in every tissue and organ of the body. This production is dependent on the quantity of DHEA being produced by the brain and body. When we manage our stress levels and balance our lifestyle, this hormone is in abundance.
Melatonin has a nightly rhythm that gradually increases as we approach midnight, and then declines in daylight. Melatonin is an anti-oxidant, and mood stabilizer, and allows our brain to achieve the deepest of sleep cycles. It is also derived from serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can be depleted by the production of excess cortisol, a hormone that is produced under high amounts of stress.
As you can see, sleep is crucial for optimal brain health and physical and emotional well being.
I am pleased to offer acupuncture and oriental medicine services in my Encinitas chiropractor office from a talented acupuncturist, Susie Orenstein Turner. She specializes in pain/injuries, gynecology, anxiety, depression, immunity and pediatrics.
You can schedule chiropractic and acupuncture on the same visit.
Please call her at 858 270 3834.
December, 2009 - A Healthy Brain, Holisticallly!
During the height of the holiday season, a large percentage of the population suffers from more emotional stress, brought on by the memories of or current dysfunctional family dynamics, as well as the demands of the season.
The brain is the central computer of the body, which monitors and regulates many body processes on an on-going basis. Some of these functions are run automatically, and some require our conscious control and direction.
The brain requires three very important things to function optimally. The first is a regular supply of glucose (the only fuel and energy source it can use). Glucose is delivered by our body through the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Oxygen is another vital requirement - without it, our brain will die in minutes. Oxygen is supplied by our red blood cells.
Finally, stimulation is necessary for proper brain function and health. This stimulation is sometimes external, such as: reading, exercising, doing mathematical operations, engaging in artistic activities, learning new skills, etc. There is also the need for internal stimulation - in the form of a balanced production of neurotransmitters. The brain monitors and integrates itself, based on the amount and equilibrium of the various neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and gaba.
In the past two years, by going to seminars about brain health, I have come to understand that in order to best serve my patients' overall wellness, I must assess and educate them about the importance of having a healthy brain. This is a very substantial part of my practice.
Via a brain health questionnaire, and specialized supplements designed to restore the balance of neurotransmitters, I can provide a service that is a healthy alternative to the plethora of medical drugs for depression, anxiety, memory challenges, and so many of the other mental disorders plaguing our culture.
Schedule an appointment today in my Encinitas chiropractor office, to see how your own brain health can be enhanced holistically!
Phone: 760-519-1759
As the fall approaches, and all of us gear up for cooler weather and the threat of the cold and flu season, it's time to strengthen and boost the immune system with preventative nutritional and stress-reducing measures.
You can boost your immune system by: getting a deep, restful 8 hours of sleep nightly; taking 15 minutes a day to engage in the restorative pose; and eating varied natural whole foods, especially the seasonal ones which include the root (vegetables, apples, pears, tangerines, persimmons, squash, etc.).
Cooking warm foods, like soups, casseroles, and baked dishes, helps keep your spleen, a crucial immune organ, warm and healthy. The cold fresh foods of summer will deplete it.
Vitamins A, C and D also help keep the immune system supported, especially the respiratory tract. In addition, taking about 30mg/day of zinc, is also crucial in protecting and supporting the immune system.
Nutritional immune boosters include colostrum, reishi, shitake and maitake mushroom complexes, Echinacea, astragalus, and pro-biotics.
Homeopathic flu remedies can also be taken preventatively to serve as vaccine-like protectors. Oscillococcinum, taken one dose every 12 hours, three consecutive times, inoculates your body to over 100 different kinds of viruses, without the negative side effects of medical vaccines.
Avoiding or greatly moderating the intake of refined sugar, coffee, and alcohol reduces the introduction of damaging chemicals and destroyers of your immune system and adrenal glands.
Maintaining a strong, healthy immune system and protecting your adrenal glands from the ravages of stress go a long way in preventing any viral infection from settling into your body.
Schedule an appointment today, to determine which immune-boosting strategies and supplements will be best for you! Visit my Encinitas chiropractor office for specials on wellness and chiropractic.
Wishing you all a healthy and strong Fall,
Dr. Debbie Novick
November, 2009 - The Importance of Sleep
As the holidays approach, and we encounter colder weather, family gatherings, more sugar in the diet, big meals, travel, parties, and alcohol consumption, our immune system and adrenals get taxed and challenged. It is a time of year to be reminded to moderate, take time to rest, and take extra care. Continuing our intake of immune protective vitamins is also important.
Getting eight hours of restful sleep every night is crucial, as this is the only time our brain and body are undergoing repair and regeneration. The first four hours of sleep are used to repair the physical body, while the last four hours are intended for psychic and emotional regeneration and repair.
In addition, in the first hours of sleep, our brain produces its highest amount of growth hormone and melatonin. Growth hormone is responsible for the growth of new and healthier cells in every tissue and organ of the body. This production is dependent on the quantity of DHEA being produced by the brain and body. When we manage our stress levels and balance our lifestyle, this hormone is in abundance.
Melatonin has a nightly rhythm that gradually increases as we approach midnight, and then declines in daylight. Melatonin is an anti-oxidant, and mood stabilizer, and allows our brain to achieve the deepest of sleep cycles. It is also derived from serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can be depleted by the production of excess cortisol, a hormone that is produced under high amounts of stress.
As you can see, sleep is crucial for optimal brain health and physical and emotional well being.
I am pleased to offer acupuncture and oriental medicine services in my Encinitas chiropractor office from a talented acupuncturist, Susie Orenstein Turner. She specializes in pain/injuries, gynecology, anxiety, depression, immunity and pediatrics.
You can schedule chiropractic and acupuncture on the same visit.
Please call her at 858 270 3834.
December, 2009 - A Healthy Brain, Holisticallly!
During the height of the holiday season, a large percentage of the population suffers from more emotional stress, brought on by the memories of or current dysfunctional family dynamics, as well as the demands of the season.
The brain is the central computer of the body, which monitors and regulates many body processes on an on-going basis. Some of these functions are run automatically, and some require our conscious control and direction.
The brain requires three very important things to function optimally. The first is a regular supply of glucose (the only fuel and energy source it can use). Glucose is delivered by our body through the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Oxygen is another vital requirement - without it, our brain will die in minutes. Oxygen is supplied by our red blood cells.
Finally, stimulation is necessary for proper brain function and health. This stimulation is sometimes external, such as: reading, exercising, doing mathematical operations, engaging in artistic activities, learning new skills, etc. There is also the need for internal stimulation - in the form of a balanced production of neurotransmitters. The brain monitors and integrates itself, based on the amount and equilibrium of the various neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and gaba.
In the past two years, by going to seminars about brain health, I have come to understand that in order to best serve my patients' overall wellness, I must assess and educate them about the importance of having a healthy brain. This is a very substantial part of my practice.
Via a brain health questionnaire, and specialized supplements designed to restore the balance of neurotransmitters, I can provide a service that is a healthy alternative to the plethora of medical drugs for depression, anxiety, memory challenges, and so many of the other mental disorders plaguing our culture.
Schedule an appointment today in my Encinitas chiropractor office, to see how your own brain health can be enhanced holistically!
Phone: 760-519-1759
