http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/rss description http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/16 How do we know if our daily intake of food is supplying us with adequate amounts of key nutrients?Intake is one thing, then we also need to ensure digestion, absorbtion and assimilation.Ayurvedic Medicine, a 5 thousand year old system of healing, finds that many if not all diseases and conditions start with a "derangement" in the gut, i.e. some imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract.Periodic rest from dietary stresses- animal protein, dairy, fats and oils, refined carbohydrates- can help restore proper function of the GI tract.  Sometimes this is enough to repair damage or "derangement" in the gut.  Other times we need prolonged avoidance of these stresses.  Research is showing that a high plant based diet with much less of anything else is the best insurance policy against all chronic degenerative conditions and cancer.  Explore the Foundations of Health pages and the role of Inflammation pages on Dr Pat's Support Pages for guidance. Those who have long term damage would do well to add quality prebiotics and/or probiotics to repair and restore the appropriate balance of intestinal flora (the little guys in our intestines that do the work of breaking down our food).  We can guide you towards products that are indicated given your level of need.  For a dietary consult in person or over the phone call 610-566-2525 and ask to schedule with Dr Patricia Salvitti, Chiropractor or Joel Edman, Phd Nutritionist. To get a handle on whether our typical diet is adequately supplying us with the key nutrients we need, whether we are trying to lose weight or gain weight, the NutriMirror website is an awesome free tool.  My sister worked for this company out in California and recently brought it to my attention. http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/15 Chronic low grade inflammation can be triggered by dietary stress, emotional and mental stress, environmental allergens, toxic overload and infection.Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury, infection or a foreign invader may cause an acute or chronic reaction. It is necessary for healing, but when it becomes chronic and gets out of control, problems begin. The buzz word these days in Medical Science is Inflammation. We now know that inflammation is the trigger that not only causes the expression of undesirable gene traits, it is also a catalyst for chronic degenerative diseases and cancer and contributes to the acceleration of the aging process. Many times it is difficult to pinpoint the causes of chronic low-grade inflammation, which seems to put otherwise healthy people at risk for various diseases. Dr Peter Libby, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, says: "I think we have an epidemic of unhealthy lifestyles, and the way in which the lifestyle is wreaking havoc is through inflammation." Understanding the common causes of inflammation is your key to creating a truly healthy lifestyle and diet.Dietary Stress is probably the most common and the easiest to control cause of chronic inflammation.  Your unique genetic makeup often determines your risk and susceptibility to food sensitivities and insulin resistance.Chronic emotional and mental stress can set up for food sensitivities by increasing gut permeability, allowing undigested food to enter the blood stream and trigger an inflammatory response.Chronic emotional and mental stress can increase free radicals in the body, which also lead to increased inflammation.  Adopting coping mechanisms for stress that we incorporate into our daily life can go a long way towards protecting us from the ravages of emotional and mental stress.  One of the most effective I have come across is the Release Technique. Our reaction to environmental allergens is often a sign that the body is being stressed in other ways.  When we adopt a clean diet and lower that stress load, our reaction to airborne allergens decreases.  It's worth following an elimination diet for a short while to see the difference for yourself.  Too minimize being triggered by airborne allergens use the ENT created Grossan Hydro Pulse® Pulsatile Nasal & Sinus Irrigation System">HydroPulse, which allows you to gently rinse away the allergens before your reaction is too severe. Obviously, we avoid exposure to toxins that we are aware of.  Too many times people are unaware of how they are contributing to toxic overload.  Two of the most common ways are with household cleaning products and cosmetics.  By consciously addressing these two issues, we can greatly reduce our toxic exposure on a daily basis.  Look for trusted, environmentally conscious companies for safe, effective cleaning products.  For skin care, you can throw away all your other skin care products, if you use Celluvation consistently.  This new, revolutionary, all natural, skin repair technology, recently seen on CBS, can reverse years of skin damage, while hydrating and stimulating collagen production. Best of all, it is so natural you could eat it! Low grade viral or bacterial infection can go unrecognized, contributing over time to constant inflammation in the body.  Eating a high plant based, nutrient dense diet can protect us from being at risk for low grade infection.  A common, underrecognized source of low grade infection is in our mouths.  Infection left after root canals can contribute as well as decay under bridges or crowns and periodontal disease.  Find a dentist who will address your concerns and be diligent about dental hygiene.  The diet described above will minimize your risk of common periodontal conditions. http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/14    "Wear and Tear" Arthritis or Osteoarthritis are terms used to describe the degeneration of joints that happens as a result of overuse or age.   Many understand that this can be the result of occupations or sports that require repetitive motions.  What you may not know is the following:There was often an initial injury that started the degenerative process.  When joints are sprained the ligamentous tissue in the joint capsule swells limiting normal motion.  Without adequate motion in the joint nerves that would decrease pain and swelling are not activated and nerves that increase pain are activated more.  This creates a vicious cycle and makes it hard for the body to self-correct and heal.  Intervention with adjustments, low level laser and acupuncture can break the cycle and facilitate healing.  With the Bioflex Laser/Light system we now have the means to actually stimulate the body to repair the damage caused by arthritis.Poor biomechanic due to genetic foot variations can set us up for injuries and/or wear and tear arthritis.  More recent research has led to an innovative approach to minimizing the impact of these genetic variations.  To find out if you may be at risk read about Posture Dynamics. (the answer is not expensive orthotics)You can have a great deal of degenerative change and little pain, and conversely, you can have a little degenerative change a lot of pain.  The level of pain has to do with the amount of inflammation in the body.  This is why your arthritis may bother you more on some days than on others.  It's important to understand the role of inflammation and how to minimize inflammation with superior nutrition.Vitamin D deficiency is an underlying cause of arthritis and other chronic degenerative diseases that is being grossly underrecognized.  Make sure your levels of vitamin D are tested accurately and that you understand what is necessary to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D.  For further information refer to the Vitamin D Counsel.The pain associated with arthritis is often relieved by bodywork such as PNT (Pain Neutralization Technique) and Trager massage, both of which are available at the Media Wellness Center.There are safe, effective, natural anti-inflammatory substances and products that can substitute for prescription and non-prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, eliminating the very real danger of side effects.  These include products like Kaprex (a natural Cox2 inhibitor that matched Celebrex and Vioxx in studies, with none of the side effects), Curamin (which contains standardized tumeric and boswellia, both shown to be effective against inflammation), and fish oil (omega 3 oils are inflammation mediators).  All of these are available from meta-ehealth.Himalayan Crystal Salt Sole taken daily can support the body in minimizing inflammation.  Granulated Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt can also be made into a paste with hot apple cider vinegar and applied directly on an inflamed joint and the pain will decrease substantially. Please feel free to leave your comments or questions on this blog. http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/13 As we grow older a number of factors prevent us from healing as well as we did when we were younger: HGH (human growth factor) the most powerful rejuvenating substance in the body decreases after puberty.  We can maintain higher levels with anaerobic exercise, adequate sleep and lower blood sugar levels (watch those starchy carbs). Poor digestion can prevent adequate digestion of key nutrients needed for healing.  Eating a largely plant based diet can restore digestive capabilities.  We have great needs for phyto-chemicals from plant based food.  Research is now showing that for NORMAL functioning we need approximately 8 pounds of vegetables a week.  Our needs are even greater when we are recovering from illness or injury.  Explore the Dr Pat's Support Pages for information on nutrition.Muscles and Connective Tissue receive less of a blood supply and less nerve signals as we age, both of which slow down healing.  The biggest cause of this- USE IT OR LOSE IT.  Keep moving.  I read recently that we should never invest in comfortable seating, instead we're better off if we have uncomfortable furniture which forces us to get up frequently.  The advice was to never sit more than 45 minutes at a time.  This includes when we are on long car trips. http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/12  CHRONIC PAIN While a nutrient dense plant-based diet, exercise and coping mechanisms for emotional and mental stress can slow down the aging process, CHRONIC PAIN can make us feel older than we are, and can potentially accelerate the aging process. Even Medical Doctors are recognizing the limitations of medicine when treating chronic pain."Pain is the most common complaint that leads patients to seek medical care. Chronic pain is not uncommon. Approximately 35% of Americans have some element of chronic pain, and approximately 50 million Americans are disabled partially or totally due to chronic pain. It can lead to depression, fatigue and reduced activity as well as over use of drugs and alcohol.  Chronic pain is managed best with a multidisciplinary approach, requiring good integration."Manish K Singh, MD, Assistant Professor, Pain Management, Department of Neurology, Drexel College of Medicine, Hahnemann University Hospital What contributes to CHRONIC PAIN?1.  Injuries that don't seem to heal as well as when we were younger2.  Wear and tear osteoarthritis3.  Chronic low grade inflammation triggered by dietary stress, emotional and mental stress, enviornmental allergens, toxic overload and infection4.  # 3 is compounded by lack of resources (key nutrients in sufficient amounts) and local congestion that may prevent resources from getting through to where they are needed.5.  Autoimmune conditions-  Probably the most important one to understand  In blogs to follow this one I will cover these causes of CHRONIC PAIN and what we can do to be proactive in minimizing its effects on our health and wellbeing.      http://www.mediawellnesscenter.com/blog/post/10 Welcome to my blog. I have been thinking for a while about how best to start this, and given that it has taken so long for me to give birth to this project, it has been an extended “while”. What can I offer that isn’t already out there? Probably nothing new.  I do see from personal and clinical experience that I can help you sort through the information that is out there and see how it applies to you.  Sometimes a little clarity can go a long way towards solving health care issues and putting you on the road to greater health and well-being.  In that vein I thought it best to start with this “food for thought”. Are you accepting poor health as your destiny because you lack the appropriate knowledge? Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe. Though most people would not think of the word destiny when it comes to the acceptance of their poor health, what they are doing is a modern day version of believing in destiny.  How many millions of people have suffered in the past and present from preventable diseases, thinking it was their destiny or fate to do so?  Our version is to say:  I have heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune, cancer, etc because it’s in my family.  With rare genetic disorders there is an element of truth to our belief about our condition.  Most of the time, like the person suffering needlessly from their disease or condition, the ability to regain and maintain or health is within our power. I have observed two major blocks to having this happen:  1.  We look around and say, other people can eat what they want, drink what they want, live the lifestyle they want and they don’t have the problems I have.  2.  Rarely does the medical profession (who we have trusted to be authorities) guide us through the appropriate steps necessary for a vibrantly healthy life.  If anything they are as misguided as us and not open to anything that does not fit their fixed paradigm. We have just launched our new updated user friendly website.  Please take the time to explore all the links under Dr Pat’s Support Pages to build a firm foundation and revisit this blog for further information and to ask questions and leave comments. I had a young woman ask me recently for advise on a “realistic” healthy diet for her busy lifestyle.  My response was:  it should be “reality-based” within the laws of nature if we hope to achieve the outcome we are looking for.  Thirty years of practice have shown me that my patients who see our relationship as a partnership and take responsibility for their part, gain the most.  It can be no other way. Yours in Health