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Your Facial Meridians: Traditional Chinese Medicine

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In TCM, certain areas of your face connect with the organs listed below. So always pay attention to the specific organ(s) if you are experiencing facial symptoms in a corresponding area. For example, in many of my new clients who had Covid and who took drugs for Covid, I am seeing a lot of lower cheek dermatitis, rosacea, acne, and rashes because the lower cheeks correspond to the lungs and to the liver. Often our skin symptoms are related to detox. The skin is the largest detox organ in the body. 

Be patient.  Follow your Nutritional Balancing program.  Gentle near infrared light for 3-7 minutes (at a distance of 12-18 inches),  coffee enemas, reflexology, skin brushing (not on the face), castor oil packs, hydration, and letting the facial skin breathe as much as possible are all helpful supports. Skin reactions will happen with heavy metal release, too, especially toxic mercury, nickel and copper.  Gluten exposure is another cause for skin symptoms. (My NB clients who have psoriasis and who completely quit gluten reduce or eliminate their psoriasis altogether within a year.) Sometimes imbalanced gut bacteria & disregulated blood sugar can contribute to skin disruption.  Remember, when it comes to your skin symptoms, it is always an inside origin, something going on inside the body.

Detox and true healing are slow.  

Since the skin is the largest detox organ in the body, a lot of toxic metals, mycotoxins, bacteria, virus, mold, and even parasite die -off residue will show up on the skin as the body eliminates them.  Don’t try to stop it. Avoid topical steroid creams as much as possible, as they will push your symptoms back under the skin and halt the healing response.  Steroid creams never heal, they suppress and give temporary symptom relief only to have the symptoms come back harder and stronger when you stop suppressing the skin.  Instead,  support your detoxification pathways! 

Your face:

  • Forehead:                 bladder and intestines
  • Temples and ears:   kidneys
  • Between eyebrows: liver and stomach
  • Nose:                        heart
  • Under-eye area:      kidneys
  • Upper cheeks:         stomach
  • Lower cheeks:         lungs and liver
  • Nasolabial folds:     large intestine
  • Upper lip:                 hormones, heart, and spleen
  • Chin:                         bladder, hormones, kidney, and stomach
  • Jawline:                    stomach

Alway consult your physician if you feel you are having symptoms that are life-threatening. If you must wear makeup, be sure it it gluten-free and 100S% organic. 

No matter how it looks, love the skin you are in. Know that eventually most of your skin symptoms will fade if you follow your healing NB program and lifestyle modalities.

If you’d like to learn more about Nutritional Balancing, please contact me: http://www.vhhealth.com

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Notes During Covid

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Reminders during Covid:

1.Wear a mask the moment you step out of your door. Wash your mask at least 3x a week unless it is disposable.

2.Wash your hands.  Hand sanitizers do not work nearly as well.  Hand sanitizers destroy good bacteria along with the bad. Use warm soapy water, work up a lather so the soap bubbles can encapsulate the bad bacteria. According to recent studies at Emory University, cold water with a soapy lather will work, though not nearly as well as warm water, to encapsulate and kill bad bacteria. Continue reading →

Stabilizing Gums: Good or Bad?

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Nut milks contain different kinds of stabilizing gums to make them thicker and appear more “milk-like.” Many people with food sensitivities cannot tolerate these stabilizing gums, and create antibodies to them.

These antibodies move through the body and attack body tissue wherever it is weakest. This results in an autoimmune cascade that leads to disease. Often symptoms are silent for many years as the antibodies attack bodily tissue and disease develops.

Dr. Aristo Vojdani is a pioneering world expert on the topic of immune responses to food. Below is his list of the most common stabilizing gums, listed from the least reactive to the most reactive. This list is from You Can Fix Your Brain by Dr. Tom O’Bryan, Chapter 9: Biochemistry: Food as Medicine.
  1. Guar gum (sometimes called Gellan gum): Can help with blood sugar and feeling of fullness. Made from the guar bean. A little goes a long way. Can cause digestive issues in high quantities. Some hydrolyzed forms may assist in healing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
  2. Gum tragacanth: Tragacanth gum is a plant substance that stimulates the movement of the intestines. It can cause breathing problems for people who are sensitive to quillaia bark. Be sure to drink water when consuming foods with tragacanth gum. Take at least one hour away from medications, as this thick gel can prevent absorption of medications.
  3. Beta-glucan: Extracted from oat, barley, bacteria, and yeast. Characterization of Beta-glucan shows its potential as a stabilizer, as well as a fat replacer, water-binding agent, oil holding agent, and whipping agent. Optimal doses of Beta-glucans have not yet been set. When taken orally can occasionally cause diarrhea or nausea.
  4. Xanthum gum: can be cultured on growth mediums of soy, dairy, wheat, or corn, so avoid if sensitive or allergic to these foods. The government does not require disclosure of food medium sources on food packages. For example, a product labeled “gluten-free” or “dairy-free” that contains xanthum gum may contain xanthum gum that is made from gluten or dairy!
  5. Locust bean gum: Comes from the carob seeds of the carob tree (a member of the pea family). Can help with cholesterol and blood sugar according to a number of studies. But it can prevent absorption of beneficial nutrients and have some allergic side effects, too.
  6. Mastic gum: This is a resin sourced from the trunk of an evergreen shrub found mainly on the Greek island of Chios. May have some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may also cause allergic reactions of chest pain, hives, or rash. All stabilizing gums are largely unregulated, so monitor your body’s response when using them. Avoid mastic gum.
  7. Carrageenan: particularly destructive to the digestive system, carrageenan triggers an immune response similar to your body’s response to pathogens like salmonella…creating inflammation, ulcerations, and bleeding. No one should touch the stuff!
Always avoid the last 2 gums listed on this list. And remember that in large quantities, all stabilizing gums can contribute to triggering leaky gut and digestive issues. Best solution? Make your own at home. No time? Then read labels and choose organic varieties carefully! Rice milk, flax milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk, cashew milk, coconut milk – whatever you choose – always buy organic.

Wishing you health & happiness,

Van

FMHC: NB & GCP

I am a certified functional medicine health coach (FMHC), here to help you with wellness coaching, nutritional and lifestyle programs, Vibrant Labs microchip testing, detoxification protocols, hair testing mineral analysis (HTMA), heavy metals, wheat & gluten disorders and with a variety of physical & autoimmune conditions.

Learn more and contact me through my website: www.vhhealth.com.

For the BEST near infrared sauna, please visit SaunaSpace.com.

Nothing in this post is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. It does not constitute medical advice.
Copyright © 2019 vhHealth.com, All rights reserved.

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Probiotics and Prebiotics

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Probiotics are friendly bacteria that support your healthy gut. They can be found in your gut and in a variety of foods, as well as in some fermented supplements.

Probiotics maintain the integrity of the gut lining, boost immune function, promote healthy inflammatory responses, improve digestion, help heal inflammatory bowel conditions, manage and prevent skin conditions, fight food-borne illnesses, and improve psychological function.

What are some of the best probiotic-rich foods?

  • Fermented foods: Yoghurt (dairy and non-dairy), Lassi (Indian yoghurt drink), kefir (dairy and non-dairy).
  • Fermented soy: Natto, miso, and tempeh (avoid if soy-allergic or soy-sensitive or soy-intolerant).
  • Veggies: Sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, and kimchi.
  • Tea:  Kombucha.

Prebiotics are carbohydrate-based sources of fiber that are food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Prebiotic fibers help your probiotics to grow and thrive. They are helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”). They also help to regulate bowel function, and form a foundation in your gut so that your probiotics can grow and stabilize.

What are some of the best prebiotic foods?

  • Vegatables: Onions, chicory, garlic, leeks, leafy greens, asparagus, artichokes, and tomatoes (skip the tomatoes if omitting nightshades).
  • Fruits: Berries, bananas, kiwis, cherries, apples, pears, mangos.
  • Grain: Oats (omit if on a gluten-free diet) and quinoa (pressure cooked).
  • Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, white beans, black beans (pressure cooked).
  • Seeds & Gums: Flaxseed, acacia gum.

In addition to heathy probiotic and prebiotic foods, eating foods that are rich in polyphenols can help to further balance your gut bacteria.

Some of the best polyphenol-rich foods are: Green tea, yellow onion, dark red wine, dark chocolate (must be 72% or higher), cocoa powder, cloves, peppermint, celery seed, black elderberry, cherry, green olive, European chestnut, flaxseed, basil, Mexican oregano, blueberry, plum, pecan, and hazelnut.

Note: If you have an allergy, sensitivity, or an intolerance to any food, avoid it. If you have been advised by a health care practitioner to abstain from any food listed, avoid it. Not sure if a food is okay for you? Contact me to find out more about Vibrant laboratories microchip testing. Mayo Clinic says Vibrant is ushering in a “new era” of laboratory testing. These tests are 97-99% accurate, unlike any other tests in history. Contact me to do the Vibrant Zoomer testing and find out what your triggers are!

Wishing you health & happiness,

Van

FMHC: NB & GCP

I am a certified functional medicine health coach (FMHC), here to help you with wellness coaching, nutritional and lifestyle programs, detoxification protocols, hair testing mineral analysis (HTMA), heavy metals, wheat & gluten disorders and with a variety of physical & autoimmune conditions.

Learn more and contact me through my website: www.vhhealth.com.

For the BEST near infrared sauna, please visit SaunaSpace.com.

Nothing in this post is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. It does not constitute medical advice.

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Gluten

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Gluten

A gluten intolerance is the body’s inability to digest or break down the gluten protein found in wheat and certain other foods and products. Gluten intolerance (or gluten sensitivity) can range from a mild sensitivity  to full-blown celiac disease. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, about 1 out of every 133 Americans has celiac disease. This is a severe autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten consumption that can damage the small intestine. And another 18 million Americans are estimated to have NCGS: “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” (https://www.beyondceliac.org/celiac-disease/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity/ ) Continue reading →

Pilates After Surgery

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Post-Operative Pilates

So you’ve had surgery and you’re eager to return to your Pilates practice. Or perhaps your post-op recovery is motivating you to begin Pilates for the very first time? As soon as you have doctor’s permission to begin, doing Pilates could be one of the best means possible for getting back into shape!
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Stress: Don’t Let It Make You Sick

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The ff. is  excerpted directly from Elizabeth Agnvall’s article in the November 2014 AARP Bulletin.  It is worth repeating.

Scientists have long known that stress complicates a host of health problems.  Now they are discovering that chronic stress–a mainstay of modern life–doesn’t merely exacerbate disease, it actually can cause it.
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