Empowered Patient Blog
The 10 Commandments & Golden Rule of Health
The 10 Commandments of Health Thou shall trust thy body’s innate ability to heal. Thou shall breathe through thy nose. Thou shall not consume genetically modified foods, conventional wheat, or...
Book Review of “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity”
Attia has distilled his wisdom into an actionable tome on the science and art of longevity. I applaud his integrity and will only offer two contrasting points I wish to make my readers aware of. The first is related to Attia’s approach to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the second concerns an omission in our understanding of cancer.
The Difference Between Acupuncture and Dry Needling
As physiotherapists become increasingly enamored with the modality of dry needling, I feel compelled as an acupuncturist to place this therapy within the broader discipline of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in order to give patients a context for understanding its efficacy.
Let Some Sunshine into Your Anticancer Strategy
Sunlight is a force that can heal or hurt the body. Media attention on sun exposure focuses on two topics on each side of that polarity: either the benefits of vitamin D synthesis from sun exposure or skin cancer from ultraviolet radiation. There is a significant amount of nuance between those poles that will help clarify your optimal relationship with the sun.
Evaluating Different Breathing Systems
Have you ever thought about actively working to improve your breathing as part of your daily routine? When deciding which system to follow, it’s important to consider how the system might fit your individual needs. Here’s a rundown on the different practices according to their strengths.
Viome vs. Biohm: Which Is Best for Microbiome Testing?
Microbiome research is changing the way we practice medicine. After decades of refining the optimization of probiotics, we must now consider the nuances of prebiotics and postbiotics. Think of...
Artificial Intelligence Is Good for Your Health
Imagine an AI that can make a detailed analysis of how exposure to this endocrine-disrupting environmental toxicant is interacting with that microbiome-disrupting herbicide, in the context of someone with a certain genetic single-nucleotide polymorphism who is also taking multiple medications.
Constipation Cures: Effective Remedies from Nature’s Pharmacy
Constipation can be a frustrating condition. There are many reasons for getting backed up, and it can take some detective work to discover the underlying cause.
It is worth the time and effort to investigate the root of constipation and not become reliant on harsh purgatives. Laxatives have side effects, including a loss of bowel tone with long-term use.
Is 5G a Weapon?
It’s called the Active Denial System (ADS). The Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office of the U.S. Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program investigated the ADS for deployment for crowd control by aiming a “man-sized (1.5 m) beam of millimeter waves (not microwaves) at a range up to 1,000 meters. It will have the same compelling non-lethal effect on all human targets, regardless of size, age and gender.”
Sweat the Small Cancer Stuff
Yet with any disease diagnosis, even the most devastating ones, it is possible to “work the problem” by sweating the small stuff. With cancer, that may be all we have control over.
Fixing Digestion for Good
Digestion is way too important of a process to entrust to a gastroenterologist. Being your own advocate begins with eating a whole food, nutrient-dense diet and using simple approaches to improve digestion rather than blunting digestive fire with acid-suppressing drugs like proton pump inhibitors. We have to appreciate that the combined contributions of gastric acid, bile acid, and enzymes are a fiery cauldron of transmutation.
Preventive Medicine Doesn’t Exist
Conventional allopathic medicine operates on a split paradigm. The primary medical initiative is to heroically swoop down when disaster strikes. A car accident or heart attack will bring about a quick and decisive intervention. In managed care, it gets a little more gray. Symptom management may take precedence over addressing the root causes of disease, often because they stem from environmental and lifestyle factors that are unacknowledged or lack solutions within the biomedical model.
Reflections on ‘Kiss the Ground’
All life stems from air, earth, and water. We are all literal and metaphorical extensions of the Earth, as manifested as living soil. No matter what ends up on our plate, the components of that meal derive from elemental forces that amalgamate to form the biodiversity of life.
The Contagious Biofield
As any experienced gardener knows, the health of the soil determines the fate of the planted seed. With COVID-19, it is possible that the activity of the virus is not the root cause of illness and death but a proximate cause. A breakdown in the relationship between our health and our relationship with nature is the true reason so many have fallen ill.
Trouble Falling Asleep? Remedying Sleep-Onset Insomnia
The other common deterrent to peaceful slumber is the inability to fall asleep, otherwise known as sleep-onset insomnia. This is a multifactorial problem, chock full of nuance, so realize there may be one or more causes that need to be addressed if you suffer from this type of insomnia.