Holistic Health Information Give your Body a Spring Cleanse

As we view the rebirth and renewal all around us, it’s a good time to think of spring cleaning both in our homes, and our bodies. Give your body (especially your liver and intestines) a vacation, through a 21-day nutritional cleanse program.

We all have over stressed our systems during winter. With the holidays come changes in diet and parties. Winter weather brings changes that cause our bodies to fight infection at an increased rate.

I encourage everyone to give your body a Spring Cleaning Break with the renewal and regeneration that only a nutritional cleanse program can provide.

This program, Clear-Vite, can greatly enhance your future health and quality of life! Designed to provide the support and nutritional ingredients you need for success in the program, Clear-Vite allows you to continue your normal daily activities while you cleanse.

Because you eliminate all possible food allergens, and eat only a diet of varied whole foods, you will feel better – without the common detoxification side effects!

Contact me for an appointment today, to begin your Clear-Vite program.

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Holistic Health Information: Fall Immune System Boosts

                 
                                                       

 As the fall approaches, and all of us gear up for cooler weather and the threat of the cold and flu season, it’s time to strengthen and boost the immune system with preventative nutritional and stress-reducing measures.You can boost your immune system by: getting a deep, restful 8 hours of sleep nightly; taking 15 minutes a day to engage in the restorative pose; and eating varied natural whole foods, especially the seasonal ones which include the root (vegetables, apples, pears, tangerines, persimmons, squash, etc.)cooking warm foods, like soups, casseroles, and baked dishes, helps keep your spleen, a crucial immune organ, warm and healthy. The cold fresh foods of summer will deplete it.Vitamins A, C and D also help keep the immune system supported, especially the respiratory tract. In addition, taking about 30mg/day of zinc, is also crucial in protecting and supporting the immune system.Nutritional immune boosters include colostrum, reishi, shitake and maitake mushroom complexes, Echinacea, astragalus, and pro-biotics. Homeopathic flu remedies can also be taken preventative to serve as vaccine-like protectors. Oscillococcinum, taken one dose every 12 hours, three consecutive times, inoculates your body to over 100 different kinds of viruses, without the negative side effects of medical vaccines.Avoiding or greatly moderating the intake of refined sugar, coffee, and alcohol reduces the introduction of damaging chemicals and destroyers of your immune system and adrenal glands. Maintaining a strong, healthy immune system and protecting your adrenal glands from the ravages of stress go a long way in preventing any viral infection from settling into your body.Schedule an appointment today, to determine which immune-boosting strategies and supplements will be best for you! Visit my Encinitas chiropractor office for specials on wellness and chiropractic.Wishing you all a healthy and strong Fall,Dr. Debbie Novick

The Importance of Sleep

As the holidays approach, and we encounter colder weather, family gatherings, more sugar in the diet, big meals, travel, parties, and alcohol consumption, our immune system and adrenals get taxed and challenged. It is a time of year to be reminded to moderate, take time to rest, and take extra care. Continuing our intake of immune protective vitamins is also important.Getting eight hours of restful sleep every night is crucial, as this is the only time our brain and body are undergoing repair and regeneration. The first four hours of sleep are used to repair the physical body, while the last four hours are intended for psychic and emotional regeneration and repair. In addition, in the first hours of sleep, our brain produces its highest amount of growth hormone and melatonin. Growth hormone is responsible for the growth of new and healthier cells in every tissue and organ of the body. This production is dependent on the quantity of DHEA being produced by the brain and body. When we manage our stress levels and balance our lifestyle, this hormone is in abundance. Melatonin has a nightly rhythm that gradually increases as we approach midnight, and then declines in daylight. Melatonin is an anti-oxidant, and mood stabilizer, and allows our brain to achieve the deepest of sleep cycles. It is also derived from serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can be depleted by the production of excess cortisol, a hormone that is produced under high amounts of stress. As you can see, sleep is crucial for optimal brain health and physical and emotional well being. I am pleased to offer acupuncture and oriental medicine services in my Encinitas chiropractor office from a talented acupuncturist, Susie Orenstein Turner. She specializes in pain/injuries, gynecology, anxiety, depression, immunity and pediatrics. You can schedule chiropractic and acupuncture on the same visit.Please call her at 858 270 3834

A Healthy Brain, Holisticallly!

Schedule an appointment today in my Encinitas chiropractor office, to see how your own brain health can be enhanced holistically!Via a brain health questionnaire, and specialized supplements designed to restore the balance of neurotransmitters, I can provide a service that is a healthy alternative to the plethora of medical drugs for depression, anxiety, memory challenges, and so many of the other mental disorders plaguing our culture.In the past two years, by going to seminars about brain health, I have come to understand that in order to best serve my patients’ overall wellness, I must assess and educate them about the importance of having a healthy brain. This is a very substantial part of my practice. Finally, stimulation is necessary for proper brain function and health. This stimulation is sometimes external, such as: reading, exercising, doing mathematical operations, engaging in artistic activities, learning new skills, etc. There is also the need for internal stimulation – in the form of a balanced production of neurotransmitters. The brain monitors and integrates itself, based on the amount and equilibrium of the various neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and gaba.The brain requires three very important things to function optimally. The first is a regular supply of glucose (the only fuel and energy source it can use). Glucose is delivered by our body through the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Oxygen is another vital requirement – without it, our brain will die in minutes. Oxygen is supplied by our red blood cells.The brain is the central computer of the body, which monitors and regulates many body processes on an on-going basis. Some of these functions are run automatically, and some require our conscious control and direction.During the height of the holiday season, a large percentage of the population suffers from more emotional stress, brought on by the memories of or current dysfunctional family dynamics, as well as the demands of the season.

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Holistic Health Information Regular Chiropractic Care Boosts Your Overall Health

                                                        

 Addressing your spinal alignment is a vital part of staying healthy and maintaining balance. This time of year, many of us spend more time in cars transporting ourselves and our families back and forth to their various activities.

Coming in to get your monthly adjustment will also allow you to improve your immune response, as the cold and flu season approaches. In addition spinal alignments have been shown to improve performance in fitness activities, reduce repetitive motion stressors to your entire body, improve your posture, and reduce mental/emotional stress.

Chiropractic care can directly affect and maintain the health of your nervous system. Keeping your nerves functioning by reducing and eliminating pressure on them, and reducing the effects of being misaligned, will help your entire body and mind function optimally.

The brain and spinal cord are the undisputed commanders of all organs and systems of the body. They are housed in the skull and spinal column, and contain 12-15 billion nerve cells. The brain is the most active organ. It uses 45% of the oxygen we breathe, and 2/3 of the energy producing glucose (from foods) we ingest.

The brain and spinal cord must constantly monitor incoming nerve messages from all parts of the body, which inform it of the exact demands the organs, and tissues must meet to maintain good health. Upon receiving these demands, it immediately issues the responses necessary to meet them.

For the brain to function properly, however, as the supreme commander of all the body’s organs and systems, there must be no interference in the receiving and sending of signals. The messages must flow both ways loud and clear.

Your chiropractor is the best-qualified person to see that the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) is free from impediment, so that it may continue to do the fantastic job for which it was designed.

For the sick individual, chiropractic is a means of restoring health.By opening up nerve channels, the body is then able to heal itself. For the healthy individual, it is a periodic check-up to insure early correction of potential nerve interference.

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Aging Gracefully Through Exercise: How Seniors are Benefitted

As people grow older, having an active lifestyle becomes more important. This is because exercising regularly can help maintain independence and boost energy. Aside from that, it helps manage symptoms of pain or illnesses. It is even possible for exercise to put on hold some of the symptoms of aging. Exercise is good for the body, mind, memory and mood. For people who are either healthy or are having illnesses in their lives, there are a lot of ways on how to be more active, confident and fit in life.

Benefits of Senior Exercise (Physical)

    It reduces the negative impact of chronic diseases and other illnesses. Seniors can benefit from exercise as it improves their immune system, gives them better bone density, lowered blood pressure and improve heart health and also better digestion. Other chronic conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity can be ameliorated through physical exercise.

    It helps lose or maintain weight. Metabolism slows down as people age, which has made healthy weight maintenance a challenge for many. Yet physical exercise can help increase metabolism as well as help build muscle mass by burning calories. Overall wellness is improved if the body of a person reaches a healthy weight.

    It improves the flexibility, balance and mobility for elders. Getting enough exercise will improve the posture, flexibility and strength of seniors. This in turn will then affect their balance and coordination. Chronic conditions such as arthritis can be alleviated by doing strength training.


Benefits of Senior Exercise (Mental)

    It improves the sleep of seniors. It is not a clear consequence of aging for people that are having poor qualities of sleep but it is nonetheless important for being healthy. Most of the time, exercise will improve a person’s sleep and allow them to fall asleep quickly and more deeply.

    It is beneficial to the brain. Exercising regularly is beneficial to the brain’s functions and helps keep it active. This will result in letting the person prevent cognitive decline, dementia and memory loss. Brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease can even be slowed by exercise as well.

    It improves self-esteem and mood. The endorphins that are created through exercise can help people feel better for themselves and will also reduce the feelings of depression. People will be more confident in themselves as they feel strong and active.


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About the Author:

Dr. Novick is the leading expert on Gluten Free Living and a Trusted Chiropractor in San Diego. Dr. Novick takes the time to create an individual treatment plan tailored to your specific health needs using holistic, natural therapies such as homeopathy, bach flowers, functional medicine or chiropractic care which nurture the body’s innate health system, and address the root cause of each person’s individual health issues.

6 Ways To Become Successful in Your Weight Loss Routine

Weight loss programs are sprouting here and there but are not all effective as they promise. Many times you hear people say “I’ve tried this and that but nothing has changed.” To make matters worse, some people gained all the weight back and more, after painstakingly going from one to another fad diet.

A lot of people have become gullible victims of outright weight loss scams and programs that promise quick and easy weight loss.  What everyone is not aware of, is that the main foundation of a successful weight loss program is a diet that teaches you to choose the foods that increase your metabolism, requires that you eat frequently (every 2-3 hrs throughout the day,  a healthy tailored exercise program, as well as providing strategies that effectively allow you to change your relationship to food leading to permanent lifestyle changes. This is how you will achieve optimal weight and transform your health and wellness.

So how do you successfully make these permanent lifestyle changes? Here are some  helpful strategies to take into consideration in order to be successful at achieving optimal weight.

1. Be Committed

For permanent weight loss to occur, it is going to take some serious time and effort, including a lifetime of commitment to achieve success. Be certain that you are ready to commit to making permanent changes and that you are able to do this for reasons that will keep you motivated and on track.

In order to stay committed to achieving optimal weight, the first thing that you need to do is to stay focused. It will take a lot of physical and mental energy for you to change old habits that you have created and cemented into your subconscious mind. Create a plan for yourself, first and foremost,when you are planning to apply new weight loss strategies, address stress factors such as relationship conflicts and financial challenges. Although not all of these stresses  could really go away fully, being able to manage them will allow you to focus more on achieving a lifestyle that is healthier. After you are prepared to start your weight loss plan, set a date and then  stay commited to get started.


2. Find What Motivates You

No one can help you achieve optimal weight. If you are determined  to undertake exercise and dietary changes It has to begin within you. Figure out what is going to give you that desire to stick to achieving your goal of reaching your  optimal weight. Create a list of reasons that you consider important to aid you in staying focused and motivated, whether it is a vacation with the family or to just enjoy better health. It is these reasons or goals that you are motivated to find ways to reach your desired weight. More so, it is from these desires that you stay the course and avoid temptation that derails your plan.

As you take responsibility of your own actions you will  get closer to your optimal weight. In addition, having friends and family around you that support you and encourage you is crucial. Surround yourself with individuals who will encourage and support you by uplifting you. The ideal people would be those who are willing to listen to your feelings and concerns and will spend time exercising with you and joining you in your choice of foods. A support group also provides you with accountability, which further serrves to motivate you and stick to your goals.

3. Set Goals That are Realistic

Although it may seem like something obvious,  not everybody knows how to set realistic goals. In the long term, it is good to just aim at losing 1 or 2 pounds each week, although you may start losing more than that at first if you really make significant changes. In order to lose 1 to 2 pounds in a week, you will have to burn 500 to 1,000 calories over that of what you consume in each day. This can be achieved by having a low glycemic diet and consistent exercise.

Whenever you are setting goals, you must always think about the process and its outcome. Being able to exercise regularly is one example of a process goal, while an outcome goal is that of  dropping 30 pounds. It is not really necessary to have an outcome goal, but it is important to have a process goal because being able to change your process is one of the keys to losing weight.

4. Start Eating Healthy Foods

Strictly follow a healthy eating lifestyle that is able to promote weight loss with the inclusion of eliminating food with high glycemic index. You do not have to give up on satisfaction, meal preparation and taste is absolutely possible in order to to achieve a low glycemic program . Eating more plant-based foods is one way to start lowering your high sugar intake. Aim for variety in order to help you in achieving your goals without having to lose nutritional value or taste.

5. Staying Active

Although it is possible to lose weight even without exercise, doing this with the help of a low glycemic restricted diet can give you the edge in weight loss. This is because exercise can assist you in burning fat, especially the excess calories that cannot be eliminated just by dieting. Aside from that, exercise provides you with crucial benefits to the body such as improved cardiovascular health and reduced blood pressure. This will also be one of the key factors in maintaining weight loss. Many studies have confirmed that people who have maintained their weight loss regime have been engaging in regular physical exercises.

The amount of calories that you will burn depends on the duration, intensity and frequency of the activities done. A 30-45 minute interval training routine is one of the best ways to reduce body fat. Other non-sedentary  activities can be easy to fit into your schedule. You just have to come up with ways that you can increase your physical activity in a day wherever you are, like park far from entrances to stores and work, take the long way around, go up two steps at a time instead of one, etc.

6. Change your Perspective

Eating healthy foods and exercising  only a few weeks or months is not enough if you want to  successfully achieve long term optimal weight. These habits will have to become a part of your life. Changes in your lifestyle are going to start when you take an honest look at your daily routine and eating patterns. Once you have assessed your personal challenges in losing weight, try to work out on a strategy that will eventually help you change your attitudes and habits which have sabotaged your efforts in the past. You will also have to deal with these challenges if you plan to succeed in losing weight once and for all.


Author Bio:
Dr. Debbie Novick is an expert on holistic approaches to weight loss. She also takes the time to create an individual treatment plan tailored to your specific health needs using holistic, natural therapies such as homeopathy, bach flowers, functional medicine or chiropractic care which nurture the body’s innate health system, and address the root cause of each person’s individual health issues.

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