 The fires of California that we have been experiencing year after year have never hit this close to our home. My husband's office is very close to the damage. Every night he returns home and has been sharing devastating news on how his staff had to evacuate their homes. And too many - of his patient's have lost
e v e r y t h i n g. We are devastated by their stories and what they are having to go through. We can't even imagine. There is still zero containment with the flames gobbling up another 6,599 acres to reach a total of 82,444 scorched this morning. If there is anything you can help donate, like money, gift cards, food, time, taking in animals, ect. go to this website https://www.hands4hopeyouth.org/caldorfire Your lungs + smoke Others who are further removed, like those of us in the Sacramento and surrounding areas, are experiencing symptoms like lung inflammation. In my work I’ve treated numerous firefighters, and have seen firsthand the effects that smoke has on their bodies, specifically the lungs. Many of our patients are coming in with lung inflammation and trouble breathing. Those inflicted with asthma are especially feeling the affects. Here are my top 5 tips to keep your lungs healthy: Get Adjusted By Your Chiropractor Positive clinical outcomes - increased chest expansion and oxygen rate post-adjustment - are seen in my office daily, not to mention the increased healthy immune system response that has been proven with Chiropractic adjustments. For even better results, see a Chiropractor who specializes in Applied Kinesiology. They are able to dive deeper into respiratory function, looking at diaphragmatic control and neuro-lymphatic drainage of the lung. Chiropractic also can address possible misalignment of cervical vertebrae which transmits nerve impulses to the diaphragm, which in turn, helps the diaphragm (your primary breathing muscle) function optimally. Eat Well Lung inflammation can also be linked to the consumption of inflammatory foods. The top 5 inflammatory foods to avoid in order of priority are:
Need more specific recommendations - check out my healthy eating guide There are also a few things you can consume that help with lung function: 1.Vitamin e rich oils/fats: olive oil, grass fed butter, wheat germ oil. Please note: wheat germ does not contain gluten, so calm down! 2. Fatty fish- salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. 3. Nuts and seeds (all raw organic). 4. Veggies. Lots of them! The main vegetables to be sure to include in your diet are garlic, onions and the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, etc). 5. Drink more water than usual. Recommended daily intake is half your body weight in ounces. I would add an extra 40 ounces to that with lemon and lime. Take Whole Food Supplements The Number One supplement I recommend to allow for better lung function is wheat germ oil. Cold processed wheat germ oil is a gluten-free concentrate made from the germ of the wheat kernel and provides the WHOLE vitamin E complex. Vitamin E is not just alpha tocopherol, which is ONLY the antioxidant or PROTECTOR of vitamin E complex. Vitamin E complex works together to support hormone precursors, support integrity of the tissues, and maximize oxygen levels. Wheat Germ Oil is the most concentrated, natural source of the complete vitamin E complex in the world. WGO is also a source of octacosanol, a nutrient that can increase your endurance and physical performance. which is good for vascular health, promotes cardiovascular health, prevents heart disease and age-related macular degeneration. I recommend taking this supplement to all my firefighter patients, anyone trying to increase muscular endurance, and to those who go to places of high altitude. Plus, people that have a personal or family history of cardiovascular health complications. WARNING: Do not consume synthetic OTC vitamin E - as it most likely ONLY contains the antioxidant portion of the vitamin E complex. Make sure you only consume whole food natural wheat germ oil. Diffuse essential oils My favorite oil blend to diffuse for lung health is Breathe by DoTerra. Lime and lemon are also great options to diffuse in your home. And last but not least… Workout INSIDE Check out a local yoga studio that will help you breathe better during class. Yoga teaches us specific breathing techniques that are always beneficial, but are especially so when we’re dealing with the effects of smoke in the air. Lastly, those of you who have been asking me about how to help. Check out Hands4Hope, a non-profit organization. Stay Safe, Be Kind, and help where you can. Dr. T
0 Comments
Hint: Our Bodies Are Mostly ACID! One myth I hear over and over again is that our bodies need to be alkaline - FALSE AND it actually sounds right, because acidic just sounds really bad, right? Well, I am going to shed some light on just how much our body needs to be acidic to thrive and function properly. Ok, let’s get started You are sitting down to eat your meal. Once food enters your stomach it takes the bolus of food and breaks down the nutrients contained in our foods that will eventually be absorbed. So, how does the food get into those tiny particles for absorption? ACID!!!!!! Our stomachs need to be a PH of 1-1.5, this is very acidic. The acid in our stomach is called hydrochloric acid. If you were to take this acid and drop it on your shoe, it would burn a hole in your shoe. That’s how acidic your stomach needs to be. The acidic environment of the stomach is not only useful for protein denaturing but also for protection against potentially infectious agents. Besides the mouth, this is the beginning part of your digestion. So, imagine, if your stomach was more alkaline………... The food would just sit in there and ferment, causing you to feel bloated, gassy, burpy, and even experience heartburn. Not to mention, without this vital acid in your stomach, your body wouldn’t be able to assimilate nutrients like protein, B12 and calcium from your foods. Eventually your lab work would indicate a deficiency. And you might experience symptoms of malnutrition. Such as fatigue, allergies, skin issues etc. Once the stomach breaks down protein it will dispel it into the small intestine - here the PH is actually very alkaline. The small intestine will further breakdown the protein into amino acids to pass easily through the walls of the small intestine and into the bloodstream to be utilized throughout the body. Remember, proteins are the building blocks of our body! After this, the contents of the intestine must be acidified again to kill the toxic mirco-organisms which are contained in food waste. Without the acidic environment here, the bad bacteria and viruses will thrive in an alkaline environment. The good bacteria in our guts are “acid loving” - hence the name ACIDophilus. Acidophilus (a probiotic) translates to acid-loving!  We are acid loving beings!!!! I hope this basic outline helped you understand, a little bit, how our bodies need to be mostly acidic. There is more deep diving we can do here into the subject, just how much how body relies on the Ph being more acidic. For now here are some things I will leave you with that will start to help balance out your bodies PH Things that you can do to help balance out the PH for better digestion
So as you can see we are mostly acidic beings! And I haven’t even touched on the skin and yes that is acidic as well! Simple Tests I recommend to determine if you PH is balanced
To balance out the body's PH, especially if you have a health concern related to the abnormal PH, I always recommend getting a qualified health care professional to discuss your lab findings and get you on the correct treatment plan. Remember, when your body is in balance, you are able to fight disease AND thrive to your fullest potential. click here book an appointment  |
|
RSS Feed