Welcome Nina Bingham, CHt, QMHA
Nina Bingham is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, specializing in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and affective disorders. She is a Qualified Mental Health Care Associate for the State of Oregon, a member of the American Board of Hypnotherapy, and the American Counseling Association. Visit her profile on the website for more information.
Spring Cleaning for Your Body, Mind and Spirit
Augusta Swift, N.D.
Spring is in the air! You are probably feeling inspired to do a little spring cleaning around your home. What better time to also cleanse your body, mind and spirit.
So what is a cleanse? A cleanse is a program aimed at enhancing the function of your elimination organs. Most chronic diseases occur as a result of accumulation of waste products in the body. When waste builds up in our bodies, it leads to inflammation and a decrease in function. It becomes more difficult to absorb proper nutrients, body aches and pains develop, we feel fatigued, and many other symptoms begin to set in. We must store the waste somewhere in our body if we are not eliminating properly, which eventually leads to many chronic degenerative conditions over time. By improving the eliminatory organ function the body is capable of removing waste, which in turn promotes and maintains health.
Cleansing does not necessarily involve fasting. There are many ways to enhance our organs of elimination. The primary organs responsible for detoxification and elimination are our lungs, kidneys, liver/gastrointestinal system, and our skin/lymphatic system. The liver is the primary organ responsible for detoxification, transforming toxins so they can be eliminated in the gastrointestinal system. The gastrointestinal system also eliminates waste and insoluble fibers from food. The kidneys filter waste product from your blood into your urine. The lungs expel gases such as carbon dioxide, which are produced by your cells, and other toxic gases inhaled. The skin eliminates through sweat and oil glands and by shedding dead skin. Just beneath the skin’s surface is the lymphatic system, which carries waste product from the blood back to the liver for detoxification and elimination. Proper function of all of these organs is essential in maintaining health. If one of them is not working optimally, the other organs become burdened and often show signs and symptoms of imbalance.
There are many things you can do daily to support your organs of elimination. The most important are the following:
1. Breathe fresh air. Since our lungs are a major organ of elimination and we can only survive a few minutes without air, it is essential that we take deep breaths regularly throughout the day. In today’s society, many of us lead stressful fast paced lives and often forget to breathe. We hold our breath and take shallow breaths without even knowing it. Try taking 100 deep breathes daily. Place your hands on your abdomen and inhale through your nose for a count of 6 causing your abdomen rise. Exhale though pursed lips for a count of 8 until all the air is expelled.
2. Drink clean filtered water. Over 70% of our body consists of water. In order to properly filter blood and eliminate waste products from your body, you must drink an adequate supply of water. Filtered water is especially important in order to not add to the burden of your body. Your cells bathe in an aqueous solution and drinking pure filtered water aids in their ability to function properly, communicate with one another and detoxify. The average person should drink half your weight in ounces every day (150 pound person should drink 75 ounces daily). If you exercise regularly, your intake should increase.
3. Eat a healthy diet. As Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Food alone can create chronic inflammation and disease. By eating healthy foods, you obtain the essential nutrients, decrease inflammation, increase elimination and optimize gastrointestinal function. There are many differing opinions about diet. The key points are to eat fresh, unprocessed, whole foods. Eat vegetables of all colors daily along with lean meats and fish. When possible, eat local and organic foods. Avoid the common inflammatory foods such as wheat, processed foods, dairy products, refined sugars, fried foods, alcohol and coffee. To promote healthy digestion, remember to chew your food well and avoid any beverages 15 minutes before and after meals.
4. Move your body. Movement is another primary method to increase elimination and detoxification. Our muscles act to move lymphatic fluid, which is one of our circulatory detoxification systems. In addition, exercise promotes perspiration in which the body eliminates waste directly through the skin. Exercise increases circulation throughout the entire body enhancing the immune system along with many other health benefits.
5. Rest. Sleep is essential for regeneration and detoxification of every cell in your body. It is the time when your body repairs and restores itself. Many of our hormones fluctuate throughout the day and are regulated by the sleep-wake cycle. If you are not getting adequate sleep, every system in your body is compromised. It is recommended that you sleep 8-9 hours/night. Additionally, every hour before midnight is worth two after midnight.
There are many other techniques to support elimination such as castor oil packs, dry skin brushing, and hydrotherapy.
Many of the recommendations above are things you can do on a daily basis. What is wonderful about a cleanse program is that you can really commit to these techniques so that they become part of your lifestyle and you can also take this time to focus on cleansing your mind and spirit as well. Taking the time to cleanse on all levels- body, mind and spirit- will prove to be most beneficial. Incorporating relaxation and meditation techniques into your practice and a significant amount of time for rest and rejuvenation will allow you to get the most out of your cleanse. By committing to these practices, you will certainly feel increased energy, a decrease in signs and symptoms and a renewed sense of wellbeing.
Dr. Swift is leading a 30-day group cleanse beginning on May 6. Visit the events page on the website for more information, and contact Dr. Swift to sign up.
Detox Benefits of Thai Massage
Maree Natal Bento, LMT
The lymphatic system eliminates metabolic waste products, excess fluid and bacteria in your body. It carries many white blood cells - a vital component of the Immune system that protects the body from infections. Thai Massage's therapeutic deep massage and stretching approach invigorates this lymphatic movement which helps detoxify the body and heighten the immune system.
For those of you who need a boost in your detox, a Traditional Thai Massage will absolutely help move those unwanted toxins out of your body. Contact Maree at (503) 803-3296 or email mareenatal@gmail.com with any questions you might have about Thai Massage. 10% off your first Thai Massage.
Flu Prevention
Kathy Sweeney, N.D.
President Obama declared a public health emergency due to the human cases of a new strain of swine influenza infection that has been identified in Mexico, the United States and several other countries with an apparent ability to spread from person to person like seasonal influenza. So the question on everyone’s mind is “how do I prevent catching this flu?”
The answer for avoiding this flu is not any different than for any other type of flu. Flu is spread through respiratory droplets so any activity that releases respiratory droplets into the air – talking, singing, sneezing, coughing - can potentially lead to spread of the virus. So starting with the basic recommendations makes sense. To protect yourself it is recommended that you wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth and face as much as possible. To protect others it is recommended that you cover your mouth (with your elbow or disposable Kleenex, not your hand) when you cough; and stay at home if you are sick.
But is there something more that you can do? YES! Those of you who have visited or attended lectures presented by the Naturopathic doctors at Vital Health and Wellness have heard us talk about Basic Treatment Guidelines. These guidelines consist of simple techniques you can do at home to optimize your health. You may also recall us talking about one’s individual internal resistance versus the external distress. The flu virus is an external distressor and whether or not you catch the virus is largely dependent upon your internal resistance. Below are some treatment recommendations that will increase your internal resistance in order to minimize the chances that you become infected by a virus, even a flu virus.
1) Nasal lavage: this is the practice of rinsing your nasal passages and sinuses with salt water. Doing so will decrease the ability of the virus to take hold and actually cross your mucus membranes to invade your cells. If you are new to nasal lavage it may feel a little unusual and perhaps a little uncomfortable initially. Use of a neti pot or bulb syringe will generally ease any discomfort with the procedure. Mix ½ to 1 teaspoon of sea salt with 1 cup of warm (body temp) distilled or filtered water to prepare your solution for nasal lavage. You can add a pinch of HMF to the solution as well. It is recommended that you do the lavage several times a day at the very first indication that you are coming down with something.
2) Castor Oil Pack: topical castor oil is a powerful lymphatic stimulant. Lymph is fluid in your body that carries the cells of your immune system around. Also when viruses or bacteria enter the lymph, they get carried to the lymph nodes in your body where immune cells are alerted to the invading organism and the immune system is subsequently activated. This is why lymph nodes often swell in response to infection. While most people are aware of lymph nodes in their neck, less people are aware of the thousands of lymph nodes present all along the gastrointestinal tract. Application of castor oil to the abdominal region is a brilliant way to increase lymphatic circulation and therefore, increase your body’s ability to detect an invading virus or bacteria early and mobilize the immune system to respond to it. It is best to do a castor oil pack for at least 4 consecutive nights per week in order to maximize benefits.
3) Probiotics: probiotics are bacteria that live in our intestines, respiratory tract, urinary tract and provide an important role in immunity. They are of particular importance in immunity for children younger than 7 years. We recommend that probiotics be supplemented every day or that people eat naturally fermented foods containing probiotics daily.
4) Decrease refined sugar. Sugar is known to suppress the immune system; therefore, it is wise to significantly decrease or eliminate refined sweetners from your diet in order to prevent opportunistic infections such as the flu.
5) Manage Stress: stress also suppresses your immune system. Of course, enhanced immunity is not the only benefit of stress management. Rarely can we eliminate stress from our lives but we can incorporate techniques to decrease stress. So whatever your chosen technique for stress reduction – yoga, tai chi, meditation, prayer, deep breathing – make sure that you are doing it daily to help prevent infection. We recommend chakra breathing or 100 conscious deep breaths daily as a simple, meditative technique to reduce stress.
6) Supplements to consider for flu prevention:
If you have questions about any of the above recommendations or want more specific instructions about the procedures mentioned above, call Vital Health & Wellness and ask to speak to Dr. Sweeney or Dr. Swift.
Enhancing Foot Function
Kevin Colling, D.C.
As spring is becoming more evident, many of us are starting to venture outside more often. If you plan to start a new workout program or simply move your current workout from the treadmill to the trails you should be aware of proper foot mechanics. Outdoor surfaces can be uneven, too hard, too soft, too bumpy and unpredictable. Your foot needs to be able to adapt to all of these changes.
As your heel strikes the ground it needs to move down and in (pronate) to unlock the foot joints and make the foot a flexible adaptor so it can react to uneven surfaces. When the heel is about to come off the ground the joints of the foot should lock so your foot has something rigid to propel off of. If these things don’t happen you could be setting yourself up for an injury.
When the foot pronates too much or for too long it puts more stress on the fascia of the bottom of the foot which can lead to plantar fascitis, tendonitis, bunions, and other foot pain and tingling symptoms. If the foot does not pronate enough it won’t absorb shock like it should which could lead to metatarsalgia and stress fractures of the foot and leg.
In addition, the motion of the heel bone allows the lower leg to internally rotate which allows the upper leg to internally rotate and allows for several other reactions up the chain. This internal rotation of the leg "turns on" or stimulates the powerful butt muscles to contract which in turn slows down the internal rotation and eventually moves the leg into external rotation for proper lift "off
This is a very important concept that must be addressed with all foot/leg/ and spine injuries. If it is not addressed many injuries will heal improperly or you will be set up for the same injuries over and over again.
So as you are outside enjoying a spring workout and enjoying the spring foliage pay special attention to your feet and thank them for working properly. If you feel that your feet need some help, remember that I am here for you.
On Becoming a Butterfly
Nina Bingham, CHt, QMH
Spring is in the air, and with it brings nature's welcome changes. I was reflecting on how our lives are lived in cycles, so similar to seasons; sometimes we are stimulated and growing, as in Springtime. Sometimes we seem to be lifeless and producing very little, as in Winter. Sometimes we're messy and as colorful as the Fall, and sometimes we are as sultry and sassy as the Summer. My point is, we change. Life changes around us. We are ever evolving creations. I heard it said, “Nothing is constant except change.” Yet why do we resist it so? Maybe we could learn something about transformation from a bug. Take the butterfly; consider for a moment the miraculous metamorphosis of the butterfly. The self-centered caterpillar spends its days feeding and knows to do little else. It is confined to a small patch of earth, and feeding itself, day in and day out is all it knows. Instinctively the caterpillar is doing what it needs to do to metamorphosize; it is gathering metabolic resources for its journey into the miraculous. One day, as if a circuit is switched on in its brain, the caterpillar begins its life’s most important work, that of self-transformation. What it does next is quite striking. It builds around it a sturdy, hard-shelled cocoon to develop in. The cocoon which looks seemingly motionless to the outside observer is really in turmoil. The process of becoming a butterfly is a struggle and lots of hard inner work. But what emerges from the cocoon is a beautiful insect, capable of flight, and so delightful songs have been written in tribute to it. The human spirit, like the caterpillar, yearns to fly unhindered. We struggle to overcome obstacles in life so we can break out into another dimension of the self; a wholly new and wondrous self previously unseen, which is exquisitely unique and full of possibility. This final step in human development has been called by some authors self-actualization, or achieving significance. The day may dawn for you when you’ve had enough to eat; you realize you are full and can’t get any fuller, and your spirit rises up and urges you on, driving you to break free of your safe environment to become a fully realized individual.
I have described this inner transformation using the metaphor of a butterfly when in truth the real situation is perhaps outwardly less beautiful. Many times this shift in perception and values happen in response to a crisis in our lives. A death, a bankruptcy, a divorce, an illness or another loss leaves us empty-handed, wondering where to turn next. In those desperate moments we come to understand that life is fleeting and not as secure as we made it out to be. It’s here, during points of crisis, that we can choose to respond the same old way and take the familiar road, or discover as author M. Scott Peck aptly named it, “The Road Less Traveled.” We will all take unique roads to achieve our goals in life; but whatever methodology we use, one thing is sure: the business of transformation belongs to all of us. I invite you this Spring to take a moment and reflect on how you have changed as a person; how far you have come, how much you've grown, and to pat yourself on the back for it. Then I want you to consider what you could accomplish if you would allow yourself to get the support you need...even deserve to have. We at Vital Health and Wellness are here to support you in your journey. After all, becoming a butterfly is a tough process.