Thankful (Part 1)

In honor of November and the spirit of Thanksgiving I am going to post up every week or so feelings/things/reasons that I am thankful for my office, the patients, the products I work with, etc.  I encourage everyone to be grateful for what you have, where you are and appreciate any struggles you have been or are going through.  There is always a purpose or reason even though it may not seem like that.  By having gratitude in every situation makes things much more manageable and allows you to see the positive in every situation. 

Nov 1
I am so extremely grateful that I truly get to do what I love every single day.  Each day is full of great patients with the most severe cases to mild ones.  Each patient has their own journey... from being at the beginning of the process and just learning to those who have been with me for a long time continuing and maintaining their journey through health.  I am soo sooo soo lucky to meet and work with people who keep me inspired to do what I do.   

Nov 2
I am very grateful for my supplement tray!  It seems silly but oh so true.  Each week I just fill that little guy up and take my supplements as I go throughout the day.  No need to carry pill bottles around making my purse 10 pounds heavier or gathering up my supplements each morning like I was doing.  It is extremely time consuming especially in the morning.  Each day I take my little container and away I go!  No time spent planning or thinking about what I need to get ready.

Nov 3
I am very grateful for digestive enzymes.  Before I started taking them I had the whole host of 'typical' digestive issues.  Bloating, gas, indigestion, constipation and diarrhea... the typical IBS stuff.  I never went to a MD about it but I have had many patients feel like they have to live with these issues and say 'Oh they said it's just IBS'.  There is something you can do!! It's called digestive enzymes.  I have 6 different ones in my office and each person does not do well on everyone of them.  I specifically do best on one called Food Enzymes by Nature Sunshine.  My fiance does best on Zypan by Standard Process.  I am thankful for those enzymes and allowing my body to digest food better, get more nutrients out of what I eat and just feel better in general!!

Nov 4
I am very grateful that I get to bring my dog into work each day!  How lucky am I?!  He hates being by himself and loves to be around people.  He gets more love in a day from our patients than probably most dogs do in week.  He lives a very happy loved life and I am grateful I can bring him in.  He is very therapeutic and healing for most of our patients... including me!  It is always great driving when Louie's head is out the window getting fresh air and the car next to me stops and smiles.  These little guys have a powerful healing effect and way to make everyone feel better no matter what.  I am fortunate to have one of these little fur balls and that he can spread the love to all my patients!

Nov 5
I am thankful for coconut oil.  You can cook everything in it and not worry about your food getting toxic or rancid, use as amazing nontoxic makeup remover, and eat it each day for so many health benefits.  Its anti-fungal, bacterial and viral so it works wonders with your immune system helping it kill off invaders.  It is also perfect food for your brain and nervous system. 

Over the past weekend I was getting sick and my neck and shoulders were extremely tight... much more than I have ever had before.  I knew I had to be fighting off something.  I simply did a oil pull (where you swish coconut oil in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes) to pull out toxins and kill off invaders such as bacteria and viruses.  Within 20 minutes my muscles were relaxed and it completely fought off anything I was starting to catch.  I will write a post in the future specific to this because the more I learn and read the more fascinated I am.  Try starting with 10 minutes and work up to 20 (and make sure to spit it in your trashcan when you are done because the oil will harden up when cold in your sink/drain... and that is no good).   After you spit it out make sure to rinse your mouth with hot water and spit that out.  Rinse a couple times to get all the toxins out.  You may notice you it starts to release drainage from your throat and nose... Yay!  Get it out of there!  If you have questions feel free to call the office.  Lori swears by it too!

Conjunctivitis/Pinkeye... what to do?

Conjunctivitis (pinkeye) is something that is very easily treated all 'naturally' no matter if you are a human, dog or cat.  There is no need to 1) suffer with it and 2) run to a doctor to get it treated, get medicated eye drops or even antibiotics.  I was talking to my dad on the phone this weekend and he was telling me how their dog Mo's eye was red and seemed infected.  What can you do?  Silver Shield!! It's such an amazing universal healer.  It's antibacterial and antiviral (also antiparasitic).  It tastes like water and safe to put in the eyes, ears and nose (as nasal spray) to get the antiseptic properties in each of those areas.  Needless to say my parents put a drop of Silver Shield in Mo's eye 2 to 3 times a day and within a day or 2... it was gone!  No crazy treatments... just the trusty Silver Shield. 

Nature Sunshine's Silver Shield is patented and one of the best colloidal silver's on the market.  It is extremely bioavailable (99% actually) meaning it fully gets absorbed in the body and it doesn't go to waste.  

Next time you or your loved one gets pinkeye or some sort of eye irritation or infection use Silver Shield.  You will not be let down!

Mo (and his piercing blue eyes) and Louie  

 

 

 

 

 

6 More Tips on what do to during Cold/Flu Season!

6 More Tips for cold and flu season! 

1) Coconut Oil: Coconut Oil is antibacterial and antiviral (and antifungal)... so make sure you are getting in 3 tablespoons a day to keep your immune system healthy and happy!  It is also what Lori and I use as hand sanitizer because of its antimicrobial properties.  (And ps. antibacterial soaps kill off good and bad bacteria... sounds like something else?)  So lather your hands in coconut oil multiple times a day to keep the sickness away!

2) Tei Fu Essential Oil: This is something we use in a nasal spray but can also be used to help clear and open up sinuses... put a few drops on your fingers and rub under your cheek bones, above your eyebrows and even on your temples if you are getting headaches.  It helps to clear up sinuses and get you breathing better.  (It can be pretty strong so you can mix it with a little coconut oil before you rub it on your skin.)

3) Tei Fu/Silver Shield Nasal Spray: Using the same Tei Fu essential oil... click the link below for info on how to make an amazing nasal spray to open up your nasal passages and help you breath clear!

http://drcarolynmaxfield.blogspot.com/2013/06/allergies-use-this-great-nasal-spray.html

4) Don't take anything to break your fever... it does your body a disservice if you do.  I know having a fever is not the best feeling in the world, especially when your little one is screaming and in pain.  No one wants to watch their kids or loved ones suffer.  However fevers happen for a reason.  Your body naturally raises your body temperature to kill off invaders.  The higher temperatures make is unlivable for the bad guys and in turn kills them off.  Yes it may take a day or two however it is perfectly normal and healthy and should not be interfered with unless the temperature is above 102 (or honestly even higher).  Come in and get tested to see what you have so we can support the body naturally during this time but please do the best you can to not interfere with your bodies natural reaction... I know it is not comfortable at all (and pretty miserable) but your immune system will come out much stronger because of it. 

5) Make this terrible tonic.  Have it on hand when you are sick and drink as much as you can stand.  I actually don't mind the taste because there is honey in it (but my taste buds may be a bit skewed).  Try it and let me tell you it works! 

http://lindsayleighbentley.com/2012/09/17/terrible-tonic-my-favorite-cold-and-flu-remedy-and-prevention/  (Also this is a great blog to follow if you are looking for great info and tips to stay healthy and live and be well... just like the title of the blog.)

6) Get a lymphatic massage.  This helps to drain your sinuses and get the lymphatic tissue moving to help get you feeling better faster.  If the lymphatic system is stagnant (think of stagnant water in the pipes of your houses... not a good situation) things get backed up and infections brew.  The lymphatic system is a large network that plays a huge role in your immune system (when you get those pea sized painful nodules by your throat, neck or even armpits they are enlarged and fighting off invaders).  No matter what it is when you get sick the lymphatic system kicks into gear!

I give my patients simple lymphatic massages all the time that help clear head congestion, chest pressure and colds.  Some massage therapists can even do full body ones.  Let me know and I'll be glad to help get your lymph pumping and teach you a couple things to do at home! 

Pharmaceutical Drug Interactions... Easy to check online!

Although I don't personally prescribe pharmaceutical drugs (nor would I want to) I still have to closely monitor what people are on and any interactions they may have.  Hopefully the audience I am talking to is not on any or very few... however we all know people who are on a whole host of them.  Medications are something not to take lightly and should be researched for their side effects and interactions. 

This is such a great tool and website that anyone can use to check any interactions pharmaceutical medications have with each other.  Not only do pharmaceutical drugs have side effects, they can also have interactions with each other which cause another set of issues.  The website ranks the interactions as major, moderate, and minor.  It is very imperative that a person check this if they are on two or more pharmaceutical drugs.

Go to http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and click agree.  From there you can enter in different medications and click check for interactions.  It will create a list of interactions between the different meds.  Even if you are not my patient please be educated about what you are taking.  It is your health and life.  Be informed. 

Chocolate Pudding Recipe... Very Easy!

I have experimented with a couple different recipes for chocolate pudding and this is my favorite so far!

All you need is unsweetened cocoa, almond milk (I am sure you could use coconut milk too), xylitol (or honey) and chia seeds.  I bought my chia seeds at Trader Joes.  They are packed full of nutrients and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. 

Instructions
Mix together 1 cup almond milk, 3 tablespoons chia seeds, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons xylitol or honey.  You may want to add more depending on how sweet you like it.  Let it sit for 10 minutes and then enjoy!

When I first put all the ingredients together the cocoa sat at the top and didn't mix that well.  After 5 minutes it started to settle in, especially after I stirred it.  By the time 10 minutes was up and I did a final stirring everything was mixed together perfectly. 

I loved it.  Enjoy!

Body Odor? Try this!

Have you ever noticed that some people just tend to smell worse than others?  It's kind of an awkward topic but it is just a fact of life.  People who tend to have more odor than others (a polite way to say it) are much more toxic.  Your body sweats and gets rid of toxins through the skin.  When people are toxic the body will continuously try to pump these toxins out which in turn creates body odor which no deodorant can mask. 
 
Another way to know if you are full of toxins is that your stool smells really bad.  Yes all stool smells... I get that... however it should not smell really bad.  I don't know how else to describe it. Sorry :)  This is another simple indicator that your body is continually pumping out a lot of bad things. 
 
A great product to start with or add into your daily routine is Chlorophyll ES.  I have talked about it before but not in this fashion.  Chlorophyll is a great all natural body odor neutralizer.  It works to mildly detox as well as heal up the digestive system and other areas in the body.  It's liquid and tastes like mint which makes it even better!  You want to keep it in the fridge and take 1 teaspoon twice a day and for those who have never 'cleansed' the body bump it up to 1 tablespoon twice a day.  Mix it with your water and drink up! 
 
If you know someone who would benefit from chlorophyll just leave it at their desk.  No explanation is needed :)
 
For those who order- the stock number is 1483-5.  Make sure you get the new and improved Chlorophyll ES.  

For those who do not order follow the instructions on the link http://www.drcarolynmaxfield.com/page/online-store.html.  

 
 

Cold/Flu Season in Full Swing... 9 Things to Do

Cold/Flu/Strep and Flu Vaccine promoting season is in full swing.  Does that mean you have to be one of those that are down for days with whatever new thing is going around?  NO!  There are obviously many things you can do to improve your immune system and prevent any sickness going around.  And yes you may get sick here or there- I just was this past week (but guess what... I just had a little sore throat and congestion but my energy was great).  Here are 9 simple things to do and I will keep thinking of more.

1) Drink LOTS and LOTS of water.  Stay hydrated.  Seems silly and obvious yet we continually drink much less water than our body needs.  I am guilty of it too.  Consciously drink a lot of water.  Flush out those toxins and give your body the proper hydration to kill off any invaders.

2) Eat as much raw garlic as possible.  Some people can chew it... and kudos to those out there who can.  I cut a clove up into 1/4 pieces and swallow it.  You can cut it up smaller or mince it and put in  a little bit of water and drink it fast.  Fresh garlic (not processed or refrigerated) has amazing antibacterial proprieties (and antifungal).  When cooked the garlic looses many of its medicinal properties so its important that it is fresh especially when you are sick.  Take as many as you can handle.  Start with 1-2 a day and work up to 3-6 in times of sickness.  I just took my clove right before doing this. If you just can't even think about doing that there are garlic supplements that we have available which you take instead. 

NOTE: Not all garlic supplements are the same.  The way the garlic is processed and handled is extremely important.  Many companies loose the medicinal value in the processing because it is heated and not protected.  Make sure you use a high quality supplement and if you need any ideas let me know.  We have plenty at the office (and ones you won't burp up... which is a common complaint).

3) Wash your hands.  Obvious- yet very important.

4) Take maintenance doses of elderberry (2-3/day).  Most of you at my office know that the Nature Sunshine version is by far my favorite.  Elderberry Defense has elderberry, olive leaf, and D3 in it.  All of those are extremely beneficial to the immune system.  Let me know if you need help ordering.

5) Drink hot water with lemon.  I say this all the time to patients but it is great for so many things.  It helps with digestion and has a mild cleansing action on the liver.  Lemons are packed with vitamin C and also are anti-mucolytic (break down mucous).  This helps tremendously during times of sickness.  Drink at least 2 cups of hot water with 1/2 lemon in each.

6) Sleep!  When you are tired it is for a reason.  If you were sick and not tired you would keep going and going and going and your body would never get a chance to heal.  You are tired for a reason.  Pay attention and don't push it.

7) Get adjusted.  This is something I haven't talked about much on here.  Every single part of your body- every muscle, organ, tissue, gland- is controlled by your nervous system.  The nervous system is our master control center and protected by your spine.  When you are sick it is essential to get your nervous system checked and make sure it is properly functioning without any restrictions.  There are certain areas in your spine that directly control the nervous system (any chiropractor should know where it is) and that should be specially worked on along with anything else that is restricted.  If you have any questions or concerns let me know.  I do light force adjusting with muscle work (very important!) to help relieve any issues you may have.

8) Don't drink cow's milk (unless its raw).  Most of my patients (hopefully all) already avoid cows milk.  It instantly creates a mucous producing response in the body.  So when you are congested and stopped up... definitely avoid this and all dairy.  You should be avoiding it anyway but that's for another day.  Drink almond milk or coconut milk, but NOT soy.

9) If your sickness isn't going away... please come in and get checked.  It takes me 1-2 minutes and I can see if you are fighting off a bacteria or virus and give you something that will knock it quickly.  The sooner you come in when you are starting to feel sick the better.