 I live in a beautiful community, surrounded by mountains and Santa Monica Conservancy land that borders Malibu to the West and the Valley to the East. The community has its own lake and, aside from those of us who live there and the tribes of motorcyclists who ride through the area on weekends enjoying the curves of the highway and the views, it is a hidden gem.
The neighborhood is a Co-Op of land with about two hundred and fifty homes, managed by a few people who care for the acreage. When I read in the Board meeting minutes that one of the caretakers had been seen spraying weed killer around the lake, I panicked and wrote to the Board president. I told her my fears that, not only would this destroy the wildlife that live in and around the lake, but all of us would be affected. As a doctor and lifetime gardener, I know how crucial the soil is for a healthy garden. The same is true for the human microbiome, our own inner garden found in the gut. The human microbiome is about one cell thick with a surface area the length of a football field; our immune cells live here, absorbing nutrients from the food we eat. Essentially, there is no difference between the soil in our gardens, the large agriculture systems that grow our food and the microbiome in our gut. They feed each other and are part of the same network; when there are changes in one, it affects all the rest. “The most abused chemical that man has ever made…” Dr. Don Huber, expert on GMOs, soil born diseases, Professor Emeritus, Purdue University I have always been a gardener; it gives me the most pleasure of anything I do. Yet, to be a gardener, you have to be smart and able to outwit the myriad of hungry animals and insects that want to feed on what you plant. Honestly, it’s WAR sometimes! Even after covering my raised vegetable beds with heavy wire, I am challenged by how to protect what is inside. A wise friend and Naturopathic physician once told me that you can’t have an organic garden unless you start with organic seeds. I believe he was right and I would add to that: In a garden, soil is everything. If the soil is missing the right microbes and nutrients, no matter how many organic seeds you plant and how much sun and water they get, they either won’t grow or they won’t be healthy plants. Just like we now know the importance of our own gut microbiome, the seat of our immune health and nutrient absorption, the soil our food comes from has a direct link to our own health. If this soil isn’t healthy, we won’t be healthy either. Rather than spraying poisonous chemicals that stay in the environment, having repercussions for generations, how we protect our gardens must be non-toxic and considerate of the environment, or it isn’t Organic. “Whenever you see stunning growth exponentially, like these Autism numbers, it is environmental, not genetic…” Dr. Stephanie Seneff, Senior Research Scientist, MIT How did we get here? Dr. Zach Bush, triple board certified physician practicing in Virginia, gives a great explanation of the history of farming in this country from the 1880’s, to the present. After the mistakes of the Dust Bowl era, farmers stopped rotating their crops and instead, replaced stone grinding their wheat with steel blades to increase output. Whole grains became high glycemic refined flours and, to increase production even more, large companies like Monsanto began producing fertilizers with added Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus. This makes plants greener, and at the same time, makes them weak and prone to pests and viruses. From here, Monsanto saw another opportunity and encouraged farmers to now use weed killers, like glyphosate. That brings me to the current discussion of epidemics in chronic disease. Children on the Autism spectrum are increasing exponentially, and according to Dr. Stephanie Seneff, an MIT scientist studying these patterns, when you see this kind of growth, it’s not genetic; rather, it’s a problem in the environment. When she looked at the aluminum in childhood vaccinations, she discovered that, although aluminum is extremely toxic to humans, along with Mercury, this wasn’t what was causing the growth in Autism. It wasn’t until she attended a lecture where another renowned scientist, Don Huber, spoke on glyphosate, the chemical in the Monsanto weed killer Roundup, that she made the connection between Autism, glyphosate and our environment. Here are some statistics: In 1975, the year after Roundup hit the market, 1/5000 children were diagnosed with Autism; today, the numbers are a stunning 1/36 children; this number is doubling every two years so that, in 2035, 1/2 children will be Autistic. There has also been linear growth in Parkinson’s disease in males, Alzheimer’s in females and cancerous tumors in both men and women. “If given the choice, I would choose DDT over glyphosate…” Dr. Don Huber Monsanto, the company that produces glyphosate, is now owned by Bayer, the largest drug company in the world. Known commercially as Roundup, the company calls this product a “weed killer”; actually, it is an antibiotic, reducing good bacteria, increasing and preserving bad bacteria, turning off the natural defense mechanisms of the plant and threatening the sustainability of our agriculture. At present, Roundup’s consumer use - 4 1/2 billion pounds per year - is now greater than that used by farmers. The product blocks an important human pathway of essential amino acids and, being water soluble, 75% is in the air and rainfall, creating “leakiness” in the human gut microbiome and the blood brain barrier. It’s no surprise that Autistic children have terrible microbiome issues and damaged mitochondria (energy systems). You’re only as healthy as your gut; food is only as healthy as the soil. It’s true that there are traces of glyphosate everywhere, including organic food, however, consumers are in control. Europe has outlawed the chemical, making their food healthier than ours. According to the science, if just 16% of the population convert to buying organic food, Monsanto will be out of business (probably why they sold to Bayer). If we all buy organic now and Monsanto stops producing Roundup, within fifty years - half a century - glyphosate will be removed from our air, soil and human microbiome. Yes, it will take that long. Isn’t it worth starting today? ***A good resource is EWG.org: Environmental Working Group. They work tirelessly to list and grade food, personal care products and cleaning products, telling us which to use and which to stay away from. They created The Dirty Dozen list of foods to never eat unless they are organic and Shopping ListThe Clean Fifteen list of the cleanest and safest foods produced. These lists are important ones to carry with you. ****Next newsletter: Best ways to Detox. In the meantime, consider making dry brushing your skin every day a healthy habit.
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 When my father turned seventy years old, he was fired from the company he had worked for for many years. He was not ready to stop working and his physical and mental decline after that was rapid and heartbreaking.
In his mid-life, he was robust and energetic, whistling as he got ready to start the day. He would appear at the breakfast table with great enthusiasm, clean shaven and all dressed in a crisp shirt, suit, tie and polished leather shoes. Each day he would proclaim how he loved his work as he walked through the front door. My father was a traveling salesman, in the true sense of the word, and his car, the vehicle of his freedom, took him to the customers he served. There was no nine-to-five desk job in his world; he got into his Buick every day and chose where he wanted to go. He sold expensive gold jewelry and all the fine jewelry stores throughout California, Nevada and Hawaii knew him as he pulled his sample cases out of the trunk of his alarmed car to display the glittery bracelets, chains, earrings and rings. As he got older and more vulnerable, he grew more concerned about getting robbed while he was on the road. He had been hearing through the jewelry grapevine that a group of robbers were targeting gold salesmen, following their cars and then trapping them on the road, forcing them to open their trunks and hand over the expensive samples. When it was his turn, the robbers forced him off the freeway and trapped him on a quiet road out of public view. Even with an expensive alarm system in his car, they stole every piece of gold he had and the company he worked for sued him for the loss of the gold samples. By the time the case went to court, my father was deep in the grip of Alzheimer’s and so confused, he couldn’t answer any of the questions his young attorney asked him when she put him on the stand. She wept in frustration and the judge, sympathizing with the situation, dismissed the case. After that, he and my mother, who became his caregiver, spent their days together. At one point, she was so annoyed with his constant demand for the car keys that she gave them to him and he left the house, slamming the door behind him. He had always driven, so why not now? Regretting what she had done and waiting for hours to hear from him, she finally received a call from a woman who had seen him wondering on the street miles from where they lived. Relieved, my mother picked him up as he waited for her but the car he had taken, the symbol of his life on the road, was lost and never found. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. . .” My father loved sugar and by the time he reached forty, he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes - also known then as “Adult Onset Diabetes”. Until recently, Type 2 Diabetes was only known as a lifestyle condition of adults; these days, we see it in children as well as adults from eating too many sugary cereals, sodas, fruit juice and processed “non-foods” from Trader Joe’s that humans have consumed in excess for the last fifty years. A precursor to Type 2 Diabetes is a condition called Insulin Resistance. This arises when there is so much glucose roaming through the bloodstream that Insulin stops recognizing it and becomes “resistant” to the one substance - glucose - it is supposed to bind to, pulling it out of the bloodstream to be used for energy. According to Dale Bredesen, M.D., everyone that he tested over the forty years of research he did for his book, “The End of Alzheimer’s”, was Insulin Resistant. This is important because too much Insulin in the body creates extra fat and massive, generalized inflammation in the arteries, organs and finally, the brain, leading to dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. There’s one more important thing connecting sugar, Insulin and inflammation, in relation to Alzheimer’s Disease, and that is a substance called: Insulin Degrading Enzyme. (I know I’m nerding out on you, but please bear with me.). This is important because this enzyme is a direct link to Diabetes and Dementia via a pathway that degrades both Insulin and the amyloid plaques that are prominently seen in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Like all enzymes, this enzyme’s job is to break down a substance; Insulin Degrading Enzyme will choose to degrade Insulin first, before the amyloid plaques, creating more damage to the brain...In other words, the more Insulin you have, the more amyloid plaques... Isis has Nothing on Our Food System -Dale Bredesen, M.D. As I said in my last two newsletters, (here are links, if you missed them) we now know that even if you carry the ApoE4 genes passed down from a parent or two, it is your lifestyle habits that will create either health or dis-ease. It is your choice to get busy about this now, and become the change you have been seeking... Here is an outline of the protocol: -Start with a baseline of tests, including the important inflammatory markers, Homocysteine, the Zinc/Copper ratio, the Omega 6/Omega 3 ratio, hormones and all the vitamins. -Consider doing 23 and Me, or one of the other genetic tests; this is not essential, but good information. -If you have family members with Alzheimer’s or if you are starting to have symptoms (like forgetting words), consider going on a Ketogenic diet. Dr. Bredesen calls his version the “Ketoflex Diet”. This type of eating is anti-inflammatory, makes the brain happy and, done properly, uses your own fat for fuel, instead of glucose. Purchase a ketone meter. -Consider Intermittent Fasting - There is a lot of research now on the benefits of fasting on the brain and longevity. Eating in small, daily windows of time is a healthy practice. -Make sure your sleep hygiene is good, that you are not interrupted by blue light from electronics for at least an hour before bedtime and you do not have Apnea. This is crucial for brain health. The brain goes through major cleansing during the night and you are also fasting during this time. -Choose a Mindfulness practice that you do every day. -Choose an aerobic exercise that you do for at least thirty minutes per day and resistance training two or three times per week. -Connect with your tribe; having community increases health and longevity, along with joy and laughter. Confused about how to begin? **Set up a free 15 minute phone consultation to learn more about the Root Causes of dementia and how I can support you and your family to get your brain on track. ***Set up your first appointment and receive a full list of tests to order, along with key information about important lifestyle changes and a step by step schedule to create a personalized program with guidance from Dr. Potters. “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” -Barack Obama  I was in my early thirties when I discovered Buddhism. Starting with all the books of Thich Nhat Hahn, then the Dalai Lama, Robert Thurman, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Jack Cornfield and Jon Kabat Zinn. This was before the internet and Amazon, when book stores and libraries were where you got your books. I would sit in my local book store and clean off the shelves in the Buddhism section until I had read them all. I had found my Spiritual home and become a Jew/Bu. My mother, not so much. As she started to get older, I recommended we read the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying together, an amazing and scholarly book on the transitions humans make from life to death, but she would have no part of it. The Torah was more her thing. Buddhists prepare for death early in life; death and meditation are close companions and current research using Buddhist monks who have meditated during their entire lives shows that meditation keeps the memory centers of the brain strong - so strong that the monk brains don’t look anything like brains that have never meditated. Encouraged by some friends, she and my father had learned Transcendental Meditation and been given their own Mantras early in their adulthood, but didn’t practice regularly. Plaques and Tangles The brain is a miracle, an intricate and complicated computer, allowing us humans to think, speak, create, express sensations and emotions. The Buddhist concept of Mindfulness teaches us to be more present and to manage our busy minds. When we notice its racing thoughts, even for a short time, Sharon Salzburg calls this, “The magic moment”. This moment when we catch the brain in action, strengthens areas of the brain that store memories. Meditation practice also shifts us into the parasympathetic part of the nervous system, creating relaxation and stress reduction. It is not a failure when the mind races; its a natural process. Instead, what is a Miracle is the moment when we stop, notice the Monkey Mind and come into the grace that is our lives. Meditation is one of the strategies to avoid Alzheimer’s Disease. The damage that occurs in all three types of Alzheimer’s dementia does not allow for those moments of presence; as the brain becomes more damaged, it uses its precious energy to remember only its oldest memories - not its current ones. This is the reason that those victims of the disease can remember their early childhood, but have no idea what they ate for breakfast. “This research has delivered one more big dividend. It has shown that Alzheimer’s disease is not a single disease but is actually three distinguishable syndromes.” -from “The End of Alzheimer’s” Those of us who have followed any reporting on Alzheimer’s Disease have come across research on a substance found in the brains of all people diagnosed with the condition: Amyloid-beta. At first, it was thought that this substance that formed sticky “plagues and tangles” in the brain was damaging and pharmaceutical companies tried to create a drug that would remove it. In digging deeper, Bredesen and his team discovered that, rather than being destructive, the creation of amyloid-beta is a reaction to brain insults and removing it would create significantly more problems.  The first step, therefore, is finding which subtype of the disease you or a loved one may have. Type 1 - Inflammatory (hot): It turns out that when humans transitioned from chimpanzees, we all had two copies (one from each parent) of the ApoE4 gene - a gene associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and inflammation. Why would we need inflammation - a symptom that causes all the chronic conditions of our time and that we are all trying to avoid? Apparently, when we came out of the trees, walking the savanna, inflammation was handy, telling us when we needed to pay attention to traumatic injuries and pathogens from eating raw meat. I remember studying inflammation in medical school; it’s an important reaction to acute insults. The real problems come when inflammation becomes chronic, seeping into the body’s most vulnerable areas and festering until it turns into disease that is hard to fix. At one point, it saves lives; at another, it creates chronic conditions that are deadly. Currently, about 25 per cent of Americans carry a single copy of the ApoE4 gene, giving them an Alzheimer’s risk of about 30 percent; these folks will see symptoms in the late fifties or sixties. About 7 million people carry both copies of the gene, giving them a risk of above 50 percent; those people will see symptoms in the late forties to fifties. If you carry the gene from both parents, it is likely that it is the inflammatory sub-type. This type is identified by laboratory markers that assess inflammation and, most especially, by hormonal abnormalities like Insulin Resistance. This type is most responsive to the ReCODE protocol, which I will go into in the next newsletter. Type 2 - Atrophic (cold): In this subtype, there is no evidence of inflammation; instead, hormonal support needed for brain synapses and function is not there or very weak. These people will begin to see symptoms about a decade later than the Inflammatory type. Hormone levels that include Thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, pregnenolone and cortisol are low; Vitamin D (considered a hormone) is reduced; Insulin Resistance is almost always present; homocysteine, an important amino acid, may be increased. Type 1 and 2 combination - glycotoxic (sweet): This combination creates chronically high Glucose levels, the reason it is characterized as “sweet”; and, Insulin Resistance, resulting from high Glucose. In this type, there is an imbalance in the production and destruction of brain synapses, similar to the imbalance in production and resorption of bone cells in Osteoporosis. Note that in both types 1 and 2, there are problems with Insulin Resistance and Glucose levels. Type 3 - toxic (vile): About 220,000 years ago, there were mutations in our genes, turning the ApoE4 allele, into the ApoE3 gene. This Alzheimer’s toxic sub-type carries copies of the ApoE3 gene and typically, Alzheimer’s Disease is not seen in these families, unless diagnosed at a very late age. This type begins showing symptoms in the late forties to late sixties - earlier than the other types. The symptoms of cognitive decline - not memory loss - are generally followed by a stressful event. They have problems calculating numbers, spelling or reading and have psychiatric problems, like depression or ADD. One thing to think about, especially in this toxic form of the disease is the idea of dementogens - toxic substances similar to the idea of carcinogens - that could cause the damage seen in this type. People diagnosed with type-3 have been exposed to toxic levels of things like mycotoxins (mold) and Mercury, found in amalgam fillings (an important reason to get them removed by a biologic dentist). They also have abnormal levels of hormones and a high ratio of copper to zinc. After witnessing the suffering of my father, who ended his life in a haze, not speaking and eventually forgetting how to breathe, I didn’t want to know whether I carried the ApoE4 gene. I assumed it was likely, but since my lifestyle habits as an adult have been very good and I follow the ReCODE program, I have decided to get tested. In the meantime, the next blog will go through the ReCODE protocol so that you will know what to do to avoid the ravages of this disease and live a long and healthy life.   “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
-Maya Angelou It must have been a special occasion almost thirty years ago when I opened the front door of my parents’ home and walked inside. It had been awhile since my last visit and I could smell food preparation coming from the kitchen. The dining room table was set with all the special table settings - plates from the china cabinet and silverware from the velvet lined wooden box. It might have been Passover, Thanksgiving or someone’s birthday; I just remember that that night was a gathering to come together in celebration of something. There was something about the energy in the house that night that was different. As we sat down to eat, family and friends gathered around and instead of avoiding my father and turning my body away from his - something I did habitually without realizing it - I faced him at the table. Instead of averting my eyes so as not to be noticed by him, I looked at him, squarely. I had spent years trying to stay out of his way so as not to be a target of his rage and not to be within his line of fire, which could come at any time. On this night, I faced him, looked at him, without fear, hardly recognizing him. Who was this childlike man who sat there, shy, a little sheepish without speaking. The quieter he was, the more my mother talked, filling in the gaps of his emptiness. What was happening? Was I in the wrong house? Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of The End of Alzheimer’s, has spent the last forty years researching the brain. In the book, he says that at the beginning of his research, his intention was to create a medication to stop, or reverse, the damage that comes from the ravages of cognitive decline. Over those many years as his research continued, instead of discovering a medication, he came to the realization that there would never be one medication that would stop the progression of the disease; there can not be just one medication because there is more than one type of Alzheimer’s disease. He realized that the only way to stop, prevent or reverse the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, was to change lifestyle habits. This stunning reality is not only important for those of us worried about the possibility of sinking into the heartbreak of Alzheimer’s as we age; it turns out that this group of lifestyle habits will also successfully treat or prevent all the diseases of our time - cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders and Alzheimer’s dementia - successfully. Instead of compartmentalizing body parts and seeing specialists that are only good at one thing, when we live holistically, the body becomes healthy - All of it. It’s often the simplest solutions to the most difficult problems; sometimes, they are so simple that we miss them altogether. After I heard Dr. Bredesen speak, I bought his book and have so far read through it twice. This information is groundbreaking, but also profoundly basic. The recommendations in this book can be found in the habits of the healthiest, most long lived people in the world, many of whom have no formal education. Instead of a laundry list of medications to take, visits to specialists and assisted living homes, the recommendations are those healthy habits that we seem to have left behind in our digital world. Yet, if we don’t go back to them and live as our ancestors did, we may not survive. Yes, it takes more effort to change your diet, learn to prepare meals from scratch out of real food that doesn’t come out of a package. There is no quick fix medication for this. Yes, it takes an effort to design a movement plan, put it in your schedule every day and avoid sitting for hours at a time. There is no medication for this. Yes, it takes an effort to minimize stress by learning Mindfulness practices, but the outcome is wonderful when you get your life back and instead of losing your mind, you gain a spontaneous, sharp brain. It may not beat you over the head the way a medication does, but the subtleties are worth it. And, finally, it takes an effort to reach out to friends and family, create community and practice kindness. There is no medication for this, but our brains significantly heal for the better from this behavior and isn’t your brain worth it? Humans are tribal; our brains thrive when we connect face to face with one another. Put down your phone... Give me your hand... My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when he was my age; he died shortly after. In his book, Bredesen leads us, step by step through the process of defining the types of Alzheimer’s disease and ways to avoid them. Along the way, you will not only learn to side step this terrible disease, but create a thriving body at the same time. The genetic factors of the disease are only one cause; even if you don’t have the ApoE4 gene, there are types of Alzheimer’s that have nothing to do with a genetic tendency. For instance, one type is caused by inflammatory factors which can be avoided by staying off sugar and treating Insulin Resistance. Another is chronic toxicity caused by exposure to mold or toxic chemicals that over time will damage the brain. Most importantly, all types can be avoided and treated successfully by creating lifestyle habits that rid your body of inflammation and toxicity. This is a big subject, but an important one. What is more important than how your brain functions? In the next few blogs, I will take you along with me, defining the different types of Alzheimer’s more completely and showing you how to live in ways that will keep your brain and the rest of your body working optimally. As I was leaving my parent’s home that night almost thirty years ago, dining room cleared and fine china washed, my mother met me at the door. “There have been some changes in your father. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed,” she said. I had noticed.  BonesThe mind can go in a thousand directions. But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, a gentle wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms. -Thich Nhat Hanh It’s a miracle, really, how the body heals. One day you are injured and the next, it’s as though nothing had ever happened. I deeply believe that bodies want to heal - they prefer a balanced state. I tell my patients this all the time, even when they come in with back pain that has lingered forever. It will heal, with the right steps, the right knowledge and the willingness to put in the work. All bodies want to heal. I see it every day and have experienced it in my own body. Some years ago, I rented a house on a beautiful Malibu ranch with rich soil fed by a creek, well water and pounds of manure from surrounding properties. The land was owned by an Iowa farmer who never finished grade school, but was Iowa cunning and knew how to work the land. When I moved in, he gave me a small plot to grow my garden and left me to figure out how to do it. After hours of digging, making neat rows and finally planting the precious seeds, he walked by as I was watering each careful row. “Do you think it will grow”, I asked, anxiously; it was my first garden. He barely looked up and said, in the most confident, casual way, “It’ll grow”. Of course it would, because when you have all the right components - sun, great soil and enough water - things will grow. Just like, when you do the things that create health, bodies want to heal and be healthy. About two weeks ago, I slipped walking down a steep, slippery trail, fell on my left arm and broke both long bones in my forearm close to the wrist. I heard them snap as I landed and the pain was terrible. When pain takes over, there are no other thoughts; the mind and its wisdom, beliefs, attitudes and even its intuitive insights are blocked by pain sensations. In this state, there is no reasoning. I know this because almost ten years ago, I was in a similar predicament on a hiking trail with a large golden retriever on another sunny, Spring day. I broke lots more bones that day as the retriever jumped on me and we tumbled down the rocky trail together. I walked with a cane for the good part of that year. The pain of those shattered bones was like nothing I had ever experienced, but as soon as I could, I began to move. Every day, I hooked my feet to an elliptical machine, leaned on the bars and moved. Then, when I felt it was time, I laid down my yoga mat and went back to my practice. The depth of that practice enabled me to get rid of the cane and get back to my life as I knew it before the fall. It had been such a beautiful spring day, Audrey enjoying splashing in creek water and running up the mountain. Everything was green from recent rains and there were puffy white clouds in bright blue sky - Idyllic. But, even these things were blocked by the realization that my life was about to change with visits to doctors and a cast on my arm. From Urgent Care to an Internist to a referral to a hand surgeon - three doctors later - I refused surgery and a hard cast. “I’m a Chiropractor who practices Functional Medicine”, I told them, “Let me manage this with you.” Three weeks in, inflammation and bruising are gone and movement is returning. Whether you are looking to heal the symptoms of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer or osteoporosis, the basics are all the same; you must treat the whole body. Until that first hiking accident eight years ago, I didn’t know I had osteoporosis and had not done a bone density scan. During the Functional Medicine Clinical Development program I am involved in, I was lucky enough to hear a lecture by Dr. Keith McCormick, a doctor whose expertise and experience is in treating osteoporosis. As an accomplished athlete himself, he had discovered hip fractures in his own body from intense training when he was just in his forties. We think of osteoporosis as a condition of elder women; the truth is, there are many causes for this bone weakening condition in both men and women and it can begin early without our realizing it. While listening to his wonderful talk, I was glad to know that my instincts about health were aligned with his and that treating bones is a whole body activity requiring, among other things, a balanced gut microbiome, a blood alkaline state, appropriate movement and good supplementation. You will find these things in detail in his book, “The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis.” In the meantime, here is what I have been doing: Diet: (This is my everyday diet.) -Intermittent fasting from 10:00 PM - 1:00 PM (I will do another blog on the benefits of fasting.) -No dairy, gluten or nightshade vegetables - ever. -Mostly plant based organic dark, leafy greens, colorful vegetables filled with polyphenols, rich in antioxidants. The more color, the better! My favorites are purple sweet potatoes, red carrots and radicchio. These are alkaline rich foods. -Occasional organic blueberries and coconut yogurt. -Prebiotic foods that feed the gut flora - jicama and Jerusalem artichokes are my favorites. -Probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. -About 60-70 grams of protein per day, split between two meals - pasture raised chicken and eggs, pasture raised turkey, duck eggs and wild SMASH fish (Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines and Herring). I like Vital Choice's selection of packaged fish. -Raw organic nuts and seeds to snack and throw on salads: Almonds, Macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts and Walnuts. -Homemade bone broth made from pasture raised chicken and organic vegies. -3 Cacau unsweetened wafers -6-8 glasses of filtered water from a reverse osmosis filtration system (I like Aquatru) -3-5 cups organic Yerba Matte green tea. -Olive oil (unheated), Coconut oil and Coconut butter, Almond butter, avocados and avocado oil for heating. -Fresh herbs and sea salt. Supplements: -2-4 scoops UltraClear Plus, a powdered medical food that I add to my tea and smoothies, from METAGENICS, a company I trust (See below). -4-6 grams fish oil - a high quality combination of EPA/DHA. -2 grams Vitamin C -B complex -Cal Apatite Bone Builder (Metagenics) -400 mg Mag Glycinate -100 mg CoQ10 -2000 mg D3, plus natural sunlight without sunscreen daily -1-2 tsp. Black Cumin Seed oil -3 drops DHEA -15 drops Pregnenolone -10 drops licorice root extract Movement: -Hiking, 1 hour per day. -Yoga practice (no Downward Facing Dog), 15 minutes to 1 hour per day. -Pranayama (breathing) practice. Stress Reduction: -Guided meditation, 20 minutes twice per day. -Gratitude journal -Gardening -8 hours sleep As I mentioned above, I would practice the same routine to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, diabetes or other autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease or cancer. All of these conditions are treated successfully using whole food nutrition, appropriate movement and stress reduction. Notice, there are no prescription medications above; I believe these lifestyle habits are the best medicine. Dear friends, if you have any questions about my routine or would like me to dig deeper into any of these topics in future blogs, feel free to reach out. Better yet, do you have an office kitchen or group that would appreciate learning more about preventing osteoporosis or any other chronic conditions? I love teaching these things and would be glad to come and show you how it’s done. Until soon...xo References: There are many, but here are just a few - -The Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis, McCormick -Dr. Lani’s No-Nonsense Bone Health Guide, Simpson -Eating on the Wildside, Robinson  One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began... The Fifth Chakra, at the throat, represents our Voice - in every sense. This chakra moves the energy of the heart up from the Fourth Chakra to the throat where it is expressed in songs and poetry; it reminds us of the power of our words. Our thoughts guide our Will and the paths we choose on a personal, environmental and global level. From this chakra, we learn about the connection between our choices and the consequences that lead to them. According to Medical Intuitive Carolyn Myss, even our illnesses are connected to the Fifth Chakra. though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. “Mend my life!” each voice cried. Choose your words and thoughts mindfully, says the Fifth Chakra and keep your own voice strong. How often have we let others direct our path when we knew it wasn’t the right one? Speeches Voices in song Written articles Books Lectures Debates Cries of Freedom Calls for Peace ...all these, and more, move culture and when many voices speak in unison, they change laws and create history. Think of what is happening now, as young voices unite and speak out against the senseless violence of guns in our society, coming together as one voice. This is the power of the Fifth Chakra speaking loudly. At its best, it can move mountains, corporations, lobbyists and politicians. At it worst, it can create evil. But you didn’t stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. On a physical level, the Fifth Chakra holds the color blue - like the sky. It is the home of the throat, thyroid, trachea, cervical spine, mouth, teeth, gums, esophagus, parathyroid and hypothalamus. The dysfunctions that block this Chakra from functioning at its best like, Graves Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, chronic sore throats, mouth problems, TMJ pain, laryngitis and swollen glands all participate in blocking our ability to express ourselves. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, About thirty years ago, trying to heal the wounds of a broken heart, I attended a year end retreat on the Central Coast of California organized by a medical doctor and healer named Brugh Joy. Each year, he invited spiritual and thought leaders to teach for five days with the intention of releasing the year ending and welcoming the new year ahead. Among the several leaders that were there, scholar Jean Houston, Ph.D, was asked to teach for an entire day. We learned that before her capacities as a scholar and writer in the Humanities, she was a Shakespearean actor who knew how to use her voice on stage - without a microphone. At one point, she had us all walk around the room, stop and partner with the person we were closest to. We were instructed to “be there” for our partner without words. My partner was a young man who volunteered to go first. As Jean Houston spoke using her powerful voice, he started to weep. I sat with him, without saying a word, as I watched him transform. By the end of that session, he no longer looked like the same man; his face and body relaxed and the pain he was obviously feeling was gone. In that moment, I witnessed how someone with spiritual depth and knowledge, combined with control of the Fifth Chakra could change lives. At the end of that day with Jean Houston, I returned to my cabin and began writing - the kind of writing that comes through you without thinking. Having worked in the music industry during the years when the Beatles were dropping acid, I knew what being “altered” felt like. During that day with Jean Houston, I was clearly in an altered state without having used drugs to get there. I looked in the mirror as I used to when I was tripping on acid to watch my face change from one expression to the next and I saw the same plasticity, one expression jumping to the next as my mind expanded like the stretching of a rubber band. I wrote for hours and when the entire group met once again, Brugh Joy reiterated how the amazing Jean Houston knew how to use the Fifth Chakra in ways that were both healing and transforming. There were many of us in the room that day in awe, changed for the better by the power of her voice. As people were leaving the retreat, gathering and piling luggage in cars, the young man I had partnered with approached me. We had never spoken, even though I had clearly shared a significant moment that may have changed him. “Thank you,” he said, “I’m grateful”. We hugged before he walked away and I never saw him again. I have made choices in my life that haven’t made me popular or rich, usually followed by statements like: ”Why haven’t you moved to Florida!” “Get married already!” “Have the baby and I’ll raise it!” “You quit your job??”. When my throat closes or it’s hard to speak, I know it’s time to take a look at my decisions and allow the Fifth Chakra to flow again. How about you? and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do - determined to save the only life you could save. -Mary Oliver Fifth Chakra books: The Courage to Create by Rollo May Mystical Dogs by Jean Houston Thoughts are Things and Words that Heal Today by Ernest Holmes Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss  i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)… I am touched by your kindness. I feel your love. My heart sings when you are near me. I hold you in my heart, even when you are not there. Love is forgiveness. Love is patience. Love is caring, even when it’s hard. Love is Everything. I left my family’s home when I was seventeen, before graduating high school. It was at that time that I truly learned how to care for myself. For the first time, I felt free and I took my freedom and self care seriously. From then on, I made my own meals from scratch every day, chose real, unprocessed food and even grew an organic garden - all habits I have continued to this day. I meditate, spend time outside every day in movement I enjoy and I teach Yoga. I do my best to stay healthy because self care is where health begins. Caring for oneself allows us to care for others in authentic ways. Self care is where the Fourth Chakra, underneath the sternum, lives. It’s Heart energy is about Self Care and its color is green… i am never without it… I am never without your heart. The energy of the Fourth Chakra, under the sternum in the chest, holds this love. It is universal, immeasurable, comforting, huge. It goes beyond the physical heart “pump”, the shoulders and arms, the thymus gland, the ribs, the lungs and diaphragm that encompass the Fourth Chakra energy. Love is Everything; it can’t be measured. Its energy pushes outside of the chest that houses it. Thomas Cowan, M.D., has written a book called, “Human Heart, Cosmic Heart: A doctor’s quest to Understand, Treat and Prevent Cardiovascular Disease. In this study of the heart’s physical job, he challenges the idea of the heart as a pump and questions whether this is actually possible. Can an organ, the size of a closed fist pump gallons of blood through the body while pushing up against the pressure of thousands of narrow arteries and the forces of gravity? If you really think about it, I believe, as he does, that we’ve gotten it wrong for a long time. So how does it work? The heart muscle does “pump”, squeezing blood in and out of its own vessels, but it’s actually the contraction of the muscles of the calves, along with the arrangement of yards and yards of tiny arterioles squeezed together that move blood around the body. It’s the cooperation and coordination of the entire circulatory system, along with the skeletal muscles of the lower legs - not the heart muscle by itself - that moves blood around. anywhere i go you go, my dear; and, whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) In our sedentary culture, where we sit at desks for hours at a time not allowing the calf muscles to contract as often as they should, blood pools in the ankles instead of moving through the body. This is why it is essential to move, not just that hour at the gym, but frequently. Stand, sit, get a treadmill desk to make sure the blood in your lower body doesn’t stagnate. i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) My heart aches for you. I am heart broken. My heart is crushed. His heart failed. The energy of the Fourth Chakra holds grief and anger, loneliness and commitment, forgiveness and compassion…Such a big job - no wonder our chests swell with pride, or feel like they’re going to explode with emotion. There are many ways to heal, just as there are many ways to love. Healing is felt, not so much on physical levels, but as unseen energy. We don’t see the love we have for a beloved friend in the same way we see a cut heal. The energy of Love can be more powerful than a solid object. and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you Several years ago, I was in a bad automobile accident - a prelude to a year of broken bones. As I drove the curves of Mulholland Highway on a rainy day, my SUV slid through some mud, spun around, crossed the highway and hit the embankment on the other side of the road. The car had no airbags to soften the blow of my ribs against the steering wheel. The blow was so powerful that it cracked my sternum and several ribs. For months afterward, I slept on my back with a pillow on my chest. The only way I could get out of bed was to clutch the pillow against me and turn on my side. My ribcage was so fragile that I couldn’t lift anything that needed to be put on a shelf. Of course, it took months for me to work again and gave me a deep understanding of the architecture of the rib cage, how it houses the circulatory system and protects it from outside damage. Even a slight fracture of one of the ribs can be felt through the whole structure and a fracture of the sternum, where most of the ribs attach, can be felt for a lifetime. here is the deepest secret nobody knows (Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) Sometimes, on an ordinary day, standing at the kitchen sink making dinner or washing dishes, I feel a sensation in my chest. It’s an alert of changing weather, really. I once thought it might be a “heart attack”, but then a flood of memories return to that moment of the car spinning, losing control on a rainy day and my thoughts stopping in thin air. There it is, the crack in my sternum that separates when the weather changes, warning me of impending rain. Deeper than that, much deeper is the hole in my heart that has never healed. The hole is my heart. The hole is the Fourth Chakra. and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart) E.E. Cummings   The third Chakra, located around your belly button, completes the first three energy centers that connect our personal energy to the physical world. When I ask my patients where the body’s core is, they generally point to that place - the place where they have often tortured themselves by doing hundreds of “crunches”, thinking that they were doing something helpful and important. Aside from creating a hard gut by doing those - never a good idea - they may also have created disc herniations in the lower spine, giving true meaning to the word “crunch”. Actually, the washboard abs are not really core muscles, but the outer “girdle” of muscles. Core, at least to me, is deep inside, under the protective layers of skin and fat, under the organs of digestion to the very center where the muscles that attach directly to the spine are. The elegance of this system is that, if you follow those muscles down toward your feet to the inner arches, you will find the core also. Connective tissues, the body’s network of communication, weave up from there, connecting the core through the body’s center, all the way up to the head and neck. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. The emotions that the third chakra holds involve personal power and Self Esteem, the “fire in the belly” that gets us up in the morning. I think of the third chakra as a ray of sunshine, right in the center of the body and it is no mistake that it houses the organs of digestion and the solar plexus. The solar plexus is the body’s largest center of sensory nerves, the seat of the autonomic nervous center where “fight or flight” takes place. It’s the seat of intuition where you get those “gut feelings” that can be as hard as a punch in the stomach or as light as a soft breeze. Respect Yourself Since thinking about the third Chakra, I’ve been hearing a lot of Gospel music in my head. The great Aretha Franklin sang about “respecting yourself”, no matter how badly you were treated. Medical Intuitive Carolyn Myss, PhD, talks about building the potential of the third chakra in four stages: Revolution, when we start to challenge things; Involution, self examination; Narcissism, the good kind; and, Evolution, creating the individual Self. According to Myss, the third chakra is also where we hold our fears of rejection, criticism from others and looking foolish. Our fears and shame about aging live here. I have found myself hiding my hands around others to avoid them noticing the arthritis in my finger joints. Others may always where a baseball cap to hide a bald patch. On the other hand, this center holds our ethics, self discipline, strength of character and ability to take action - all strengths to continue developing as our lives move forward at any age. Fire in the Belly On a physical level, the third Chakra involves our digestive system and our relationship with food - particularly Carbohydrates. This is a big subject and where learning to choose complex carbohydrates over simple carbs that release Insulin too rapidly from the pancreas, is the much better choice. High fiber foods, like kale over highly refined breads, crackers and cereals, will satisfy the third chakra. Knowing that foods with high fiber content will create endurance over rapidly digested simple sugars is an important bit of knowledge. Understanding the Glycemic Index and knowing also whether your metabolism creates heat or cold is important. For instance, if you have a tendency to sweat easily, you will want to avoid spicy foods and choose more raw foods that are cooling. On the other hand, if you are often cold, have cold hands and feet and always carry an extra sweater, you will want to cook your foods well, pre-digesting them and eating them warm. A Leaky Culture By now, you have heard about Leaky Gut Syndrome, or intestinal permeability. This is a condition created by high cortisol levels released from the Adrenal glands, also in the third chakra. Consistently high levels of Cortisol from the many kinds of stress, break through the inner gut wall allowing undigested food to “leak” into the bloodstream creating autoimmune conditions. That’s a big sentence, but this has also become a big problem in our society. The good news is that Leaky Gut Syndrome can be healed with a bit of guidance and simple testing. Choosing the right foods for your body, getting good quality sleep and controlling stress are a few important ways to manage this issue. If you are not sure how to begin, contact me for guidance - I would be glad to help your third chakra shine brightly again. Eating on the Wild Side Jo Robinson has written a wonderful book on how to choose Real Food with the most nutrition and what the best ways are to choose, clean, store and cook your produce. It’s a great resource that I use often. Click here to download her shopping list.  The Second Chakra: Pumpkins, Carrots and Togetherness Since my last newsletter discussed the First Chakra and its connection to the Tribe, the color red and root vegetables, I thought I would continue with the Second Chakra and its powerful connection to the worldly concerns of Sex and Money. I learned long ago that the first, second and third chakras direct our “worldly” concerns and connect us to the earth, grounding us if they are strong, or creating disconnection from our roots if they are not. The chakras above them, the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh chakras connect us to “Spirit” - whatever that means to you - and are concerned with our ability to love and develop our Spiritual life. The second chakra, located about seven fingers below the belly button, is where our place in the world sits: Career, marriage, partnerships, money and sex are all found here, nestled slightly below the waist. This area holds the powerful energy of “togetherness”. Humans develop this energy center as children, when we first start discovering how to get along with others, making friends and learning about our passions. This chakra directs us toward our studies, career and relationships. It is the Creative center of the body. Orange is the color of the second chakra and those who want to strengthen their place in the world, can wear orange clothes to increase its vibration. The organs of this chakra are the ones involved in digestion of food (the colon), water (bladder), reproductive organs, lower spine and hips. Research tells us that this area, called the “Second Brain”, houses the gut microbiome, the area where seventy per cent of our immune system lives; here is where our nervous system communicates with the brain in a continuous “Flow” of information through the balance of gut flora and sensory nerves of the autonomic nervous system. It is crucial for our survival that this area of the body be strong and “flowing” well. Deanna Munich, PhD, author of “The Rainbow Diet,” calls this area of the body the “Flow”, because when its organs are strong, our health and place in the world are “flowing”.  Since my last newsletter discussed the First Chakra and its connection to the Tribe, the color red and root vegetables, I thought I would continue with the Second Chakra and its powerful connection to the worldly concerns of Sex and Money.
I learned long ago that the first, second and third chakras direct our “worldly” concerns and connect us to the earth, grounding us if they are strong, or creating disconnection from our roots if they are not. The chakras above them, the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh chakras connect us to “Spirit” - whatever that means to you - and are concerned with our ability to love and develop our Spiritual life. The second chakra, located about seven fingers below the belly button, is where our place in the world sits: Career, marriage, partnerships, money and sex are all found here, nestled slightly below the waist. This area holds the powerful energy of “togetherness”. Humans develop this energy center as children, when we first start discovering how to get along with others, making friends and learning about our passions. This chakra directs us toward our studies, career and relationships. It is the Creative center of the body. Medical Intuitive, Carolyn Myss, PhD, writes that the mental/emotional issues of the second chakra involve money and sex, power/control, blame/guilt and ethics and honor in our relationships. Has your survival been a struggle, or has it flowed easily? This chakra is the seat of Creativity and when this area is flowing, so are our creative juices. The ability to Create in our life, whether it is putting together a beautiful meal, writing a book, participating in a project or organizing your closet depends upon the health of this area of the body. If you have constant gut or bladder issues, hip or back pain, you will be held back from creating fully in the way you are meant to. Even struggles with fertility, prostate issues and cramping during the menstrual cycle live here. As a doctor of Chiropractic and Holistic Medicine, many of my patients first come to see me because of hip or low back pain. As we have evolved into a sedentary culture, many people complain of lower back pain from sitting too many hours; complaints of Sciatica, followed by tight hips and groins, muscle spasm in the hip flexors - the muscles that attach to the lower spine that instigate walking - and weak ligaments in the sacroiliac joints - are all weaknesses of the second chakra. These issues can stand alone or lead to urinary tract infections, constipation, Ob/gyn problems and prostate issues.  “You are, therefore I am…”. Thich Nhat Hanh I have always thought of Winter as a “First Chakra” season. In the short, dark days and cold weather of winter, it is the first chakra, better known as the Root chakra, that connects us to the earth through our feet and legs. Go outside in your bare feet and pull in the earth’s energy, feeding your roots in the same way that you water your garden. First chakra energy connects us to our survival instincts, our ancestors and our Tribe; it carries our physical structure, feet, legs, joints and bones, the hard and soft connective tissues, including red and white blood cells and the rich marrow inside the bones. It makes sense, then, to fill our pantries with the sturdiness of beets, whose gorgeous red color is also the color of the first chakra as they help to increase blood flow to the brain and other areas of the body. Eating all those fibrous root vegetables - red potatoes and carrots, radishes and parsnips - will keep your immune system strong during this season when colds and the flu are making the rounds in epic proportions. It is appropriate to eat them in abundance now. Lycopene, the compound that makes all these foods red, is a potent antioxidant found in foods high in Vitamin C and other polyphenols. Without Vitamin C, we couldn’t make the connective tissue matrix in our bones, teeth and skin. Vitamin C is also crucial for the functioning of the adrenal glands and immune system.  This is not the time for too much raw food that will make your insides cold; nor is it a time for isolation. It is a time for connecting and identifying your Tribe and to gather. The first Chakra holds the emotion “All is One”, as medical intuitive Carolyn Myss, Ph.D. has written. This goes along with the the Buddhist concept of Emptiness, or Inter-Being…You and I are connected…Without you, I wouldn’t be me. Since it is also the season of the color red, it is a good time to wrap yourself in red clothing as you eat your red root vegetables, red meat (if you are not Vegan or Vegetarian) and Ruby Chard. Knock yourself out eating pomegranates, baked apples and roasted red pears. Because of its emphasis on structure, the first chakra thrives on protein foods and the minerals that are found in them. Ask yourself: Do I feel grounded in my career and social life? Am I living in a community that I feel connected to? Throughout my life, have I been able to “stand on my own two feet” and support myself comfortably, without fears of not thriving? Have I handled my survival well so that I feel safe in my life….
Many years ago, I had a mentor who introduced me to the seven body Chakras, or energy centers, and taught me how to use them to heal myself and others. Her name was Valerie Hunt, Ph.D., and, aside from being a powerful intuitive, she was a professor of biomechanics at UCLA (her day job). She used her evenings and weekends to teach workshops on Energy Medicine, which propelled me into my studies with physicist Barbara Brennan and others who could teach me about this invisible world of healing. Along with Dr. Thelma Moss at UCLA, Dr. Hunt created a lab to record the sounds of the Chakras. She invited me into a small group she had formed to do research on Past Life Regressions using the Chakras as a way “In”. Along came Carolyn Myss around this time, who visualized and wrote about the fascinating links between the Hindu chakras, the Christian sacraments and the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, all interwoven into the energetic tapestry of which we are all a part. More recently, researcher and nutritionist Deanna Minich, Ph.D., wrote her book, “The Rainbow Diet: A Holistic Approach to Radiant Health Through Foods and Supplements”. This book is a modern approach to Energy Medicine, connecting foods, supplements and herbs with the energy systems of our bodies and of the Earth. As we consider the first chakra and its energy, it is the perfect time to think about its attributes, our Tribal connections and, importantly, our tribal epidemics. Along with the grounding forces of the first chakra, it also has its emotional and physical dysfunctions. Emotional issues, such as Depression encompass the energy of the first chakra, along with physical issues like chronic low back pain, sciatica and immune related issues. Did you know, for instance, that according to health trends, within the next few years, 50% of us (one out of every two people) will be diabetic. We all know at least one or two people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic, who have the five characteristics of Metabolic Syndrome and are Insulin Resistant. If this sounds like you, you are not alone; many of your tribal members stand with you in this completely human-made epidemic. Yet, we are all responsible for the health of the Tribe and we can all join to change the epidemics that don’t serve us. Perhaps you will be able to take some time this winter to more thoroughly ponder the energy of the Root chakra, staying with real food choices that support your healthy survival. Perhaps you will choose supplements that will keep you healthy and begin to think about ways to shift the needle away from the lifestyle habits that feed the epidemics of our time. Food is political, and each time you purchase real food that feeds you in healthy ways, you send the message of a Tribe that wants to be healthy. We made the epidemic of diabetes by purchasing highly palatable processed foods, high in unhealthy carbohydrates and we can also turn it around. In the next newsletter, I will talk about the energy and attributes of the second chakra. For now, remember the energy of the Tribe, the first chakra, the power of survival and All is One. |
RISA POTTERS, D.C.
