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If you are a regular reader of our blogs and monthly newsletter then you know that we are big proponents of yoga. Yoga is a regular part of each of our spiritual and physical workouts. A few years ago, we had a very special group moment in Ibiza, Spain when we took a group yoga class. The sun was high in the sky and a crisp breeze blew through the mountain home where we were staying. It was very memorable.

While we will not go into detail about various types of yoga, we thought we might briefly touch on Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga - which has made a big difference for Lyle and for Grady in their core strength and flexibility.

Described as “…a dynamic combination of strength, sweat and spirituality. Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga detoxifies, heals, and electrifies. This accessible, challenging and flowing form of yoga will lead you to a state of transformation — it will sculpt, tone and hone the muscles of your body and your mind.”

We can attest to improved strength, flexibility, and a clarity of the mind post practice and for the rest of the day. This is a physical and rhythmic yoga practice where energy is moved throughout the body. More than a yoga practice, this is a true workout that raises the heart rate, and leaves the practitioner heavy with sweat yet lighter from the physical and spiritual release. For more information and to find a studio in your area, visit http://www.baronbaptiste.com/.

And no yoga article would be complete without a quick plug for our favorite yoga studios. Brooklyn yoga lovers are rejoicing at the opening of Bend and Bloom. Located at 708 Sackett St. btw 4th and 5th Avenue, Bend and Bloom has, with good reason, become the hot spot for prenatal, postnatal, kids yoga, and for general yoga practitioners. Bend and Bloom is just a wonderful Yoga experience.

If you have skipped to Florida to beat the winter blues, we recommend Twin Power Yoga in Palm Beach Gardens. Twin sisters Ali and Ann are exceptional instructors of Baptise Power Vinyasa Yoga, welcoming the new and experienced practitioner with fast paced classes that are sure to brighten your day and strengthen your mind and body.

So there is a new addition to the Good Elements family. Buster Brown is a 3 year old terrier mix (well…mutt) who joined us about a month ago. Buster was in a shelter and rescued at the eleventh hour from an unkind fate just before Christmas by a rescue group. After nursing him back to health, Buster was available for adoption. Buster is a great addition to our circle of friends, and brings us a lot of joy.

And that lead us to doing a bit of research on the effect of dog ownership on human health. And considering the calming effect that Buster Brown has on us, and the happiness that he brings, what we found did not surprise us.

Dr Deborah Wells, psychologist from Queen’s University, Belfast, reviewed dozens of earlier research papers which looked at the health benefits of pet ownership and concluded that dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, she says that regular dog walks account for part of the health benefit. In addition to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, she said dog-owners suffered fewer minor ailments and serious medical problems.

There was also the suggestion that dogs could aid recovery from serious illnesses such as heart attacks, and act as ‘early warning’ to detect an approaching epileptic seizure.

Dr Wells said the precise reason for the benefits was not totally clear.
“The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner.”

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist who has specialized on research into the health effects of pet ownership said that an important reason for the improved health of dog-owners was not just the exercise received while taking it for walks, but the opportunity for social contact with other dog-owners.

So in addition to Good Elements nutritional supplements, yoga, getting a good nights rest, exercise and good nutrition - we can now happily recommend dog ownership for good health. It is certainly working for us.

Source: BBC Health News

So there is a new addition to the Good Elements family. Buster Brown is a 3 year old terrier mix (well…mutt) who joined us about a month ago. Buster was in a shelter and rescued at the eleventh hour from an unkind fate just before Christmas by a rescue group. After nursing him back to health, Buster was available for adoption. Buster is a great addition to our circle of friends, and brings us a lot of joy.

And that lead us to doing a bit of research on the effect of dog ownership on human health. And considering the calming effect that Buster Brown has on us, and the happiness that he brings, what we found did not surprise us.

Dr Deborah Wells, psychologist from Queen’s University, Belfast, reviewed dozens of earlier research papers which looked at the health benefits of pet ownership and concluded that dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, she says that regular dog walks account for part of the health benefit. In addition to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, she said dog-owners suffered fewer minor ailments and serious medical problems.

There was also the suggestion that dogs could aid recovery from serious illnesses such as heart attacks, and act as ‘early warning’ to detect an approaching epileptic seizure.

Dr Wells said the precise reason for the benefits was not totally clear.
“The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner.”

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist who has specialized on research into the health effects of pet ownership said that an important reason for the improved health of dog-owners was not just the exercise received while taking it for walks, but the opportunity for social contact with other dog-owners.

So in addition to Good Elements nutritional supplements, yoga, getting a good nights rest, exercise and good nutrition - we can now happily recommend dog ownership for good health. It is certainly working for us.

Source: BBC Health News

Buster Brown gets ready to hit the beach.

As a naturopathic physician I am trained in the conventional diagnosis and treatment of disease but my approach to treating my patients is different than a conventional physician. I look at the cause of symptoms rather than simply treating symptoms with a band-aid type of treatment approach. I also look at the body as a whole rather than chopping it up in unrelated pieces. For example, the reason a patient has headaches is not because there is necessarily a problem with their head. Headaches can be caused by digestive disturbances, muscle tightness, hormonal imbalances and the list goes on. My job is to investigate the underlying cause and address it.

Many common presenting symptoms can be caused by adrenal fatigue. As long as the patient’s symptoms and presentation fits the picture I will investigate the adrenal component to their distress. I have helped people with the following health concerns and symptoms through adrenal testing and treatments:

- Acne
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Chronic infections such as sinusitis and colds
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Erectile dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Fibromylagia
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Inability to lose weight
- Infertility
- Insomnia
- Libido problems
- Menopause
- Osteopenia / Osteoporosis
- PMS
- Thyroid disease

Adrenal imbalance can affect multiple physiological systems causing many distressing symptoms. Symptoms such as;
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Depression
- Frustration
- Premenstrual tension
- Nervousness/ Anxiety
- Scanty perspiration
- Inability to concentrate
- Lightheadedness
- Sweet cravings
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Allergies
- Headaches

Adrenal fatigue is more than a catchy phrase, it is a reality that must be adequately dealt with by taking the proper nutrients and herbs to balance the adrenal glands along with adopting lifestyle modifications to turn the pattern around. For this reason Good Elements will be continuing to educate you about how to combat adrenal fatigue.

Yours in health,

Dr. Britta Zimmer

Good Elements’ Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

For More Information on Good Elements’ Chill, which was specifically formulated to address Adrenal Fatigue, please click here.

We wanted to bring your attention to a thought provoking article that deserves comment….

Clinically, I have seen my patients improve greatly from taking high quality vitamins and mineral formulas. Of course, I rather they receive all of their nutrition from a healthy balanced diet but really how realistic is that and what exactly does a balanced diet mean. Our food sources are becoming more and more nutritionally deplete as we continue to contaminate the soil with pesticides and transport our foods for days and miles. Studies have shown a 3 fold increase in nutritional content of organic produce versus non-organic produce due to soil mineral content.

As a primary care physician trained extensively in nutrition, I believe if we hang our hats on the studies mentioned in this article and stop recommending vitamins then we will be doing a great disservice to our patients. Andrew Shao, the vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, said himself that there are inherent flaws in the way these vitamins are studied. With a more trained eye, as I examine these study designs there are many more factors that must be considered such as pre-existing conditions and nutritional status of many of the study participants at the onset of the study.

I agree that isolating out vitamin constituents ignores the healing quality that the whole plants have to offer. But we know that specific therapeutic dosing of nutrients are necessary for altering the course of several diseases. For example, based on an individual’s vitamin D status one might have to take over 2500 IU of Vitamin D to prevent contraction of the common cold or flu. In Good Elements, we have formulas which combine the vitamin isolates with whole foods like broccoli and pomegranate which is the best of both worlds. (see Good Element’s Renewal)

Continue to look at these studies critically and use your best judgment. For prevention of disease and to maintain optimal health status, vitamin and mineral supplements can be an enormous assistance

Yours in Health,

Dr. Britta Zimmer Naturopathic Physician and Founder of Goodelements.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17well.html?em

Pillar II- The Mind-Body Connection / Stress reduction

Emotional processing, breathing fresh air, and movement all lend to reducing stress.

Emotional Processing-
Taking time to reflect on the physical manifestations of stress and imbalance will empower you to understand the way your body functions. Not being aware of the deleterious effects of stress on your body results in the suppression of symptoms and emotions which can lead to further chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. In other words, the stuffing of emotions and denial causes dis-ease in the body which can lead to disease. Holistic / alternative medicine practitioners and therapists can facilitate the process of understanding the mind / body connection to prevent future disease.

Fresh Air-
Breathing fresh air reduces elevated cortisol levels in the body, cleanses the system, and activates the rest and digest nervous system (the parasympathetic nervous system). This relieves the body of stress and helps your body be more resilient against everyday stressors.

Movement-
Movement in any form; exercise, yoga, stretching, tai chi, sex, dancing, or walking, also decreases elevated stress cortisol levels, keeps your circulation healthy, and releases healthy endorphins.

Stay Tuned for Pillar III, Sleep.

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

Pillar I- Nutrition/ Digestion / Elimination-

Food is medicine and fuel for the body. The body will function well when fueled with good quality food. Just like a car, if you put bad quality gas in a car it will not run efficiently. Likewise treat your body like a nice car that requires supreme, high test gasoline. Organic, fresh, low-allergenic food provides optimal nutrition for your body. An ideal diet goal would consist of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, local protein sources, limited amounts of dairy and no refined sugars or processed foods. To optimize digestion and absorption of these nutrients emphasize the importance of eating in a relaxed setting to calm down your fight and flight nervous system (the sympathetic nervous system) and activate your rest and digest nervous system ( the parasympathetic nervous system). Chew your food well and take your time to eat.

Finally, understand the importance of proper elimination by monitoring your bowel habits. Is food taking more than 18 hours to clear your system? You can test this by eating beets or taking activated charcoal capsules and noting when you see your stools turn red or black respectively depending on if you ate beets or consumed charcoal capsules. This is called the transit time test.

Heed this advice and quickly begin to feel more energetic and healthy once you have adopted a freshly balanced diet and healthy eating skills. Ultimately, you will be able to reflect back on past unhealthy food relationships and habits, as you choose to make healthy food choices based on how you feel.

Stay Tuned for Pillar II the Mind-Body Connection / Stress reduction

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder

I recently visited my 96 year old grandfather, a vibrant, sharp man who still works a couple of days a week, amazing! Unfortunately, a cancerous growth was recently discovered in his mouth and the purpose of my visit was to help him develop a plan of action. A hefty course of radiation is the only recommended treatment for someone of his age. Herein lies the dilemma, should he live his comfortable life as is and not treat the growth or should he attempt the radiation with all of its side effects and low level of efficacy? I think I know what I would choose since I consider radiation a rather barbaric treatment for a 96 year old, quality of life is too important to me. But what does Papa want? This is what matter.

Papa’s big question, why me and this, so soon? He is not giving up without a fight.

I never pushed my opinion on him because this is his body and his fight. I solely explained to him in plain words what’s going on while translating all of the doctors’ words heard in the past 2 weeks. He finally asked me seriously “What do you think will help me?” I replied “Follow your heart and do what you think will help most.” Which ever course he sets his mind to will extend his life the longest.

No one knows how long it will be but Papa’s mind can dictate this. No statistic, textbook, or doctor can tell your body how to behave, you have the power. Make up your mind and your body will follow.

Yours in health,
Dr. Britta Zimmer
Chief Naturopathic Physician & Founder