My experience with Emotional Code Therapy

Hey Hey Diva friends!

As I get deeper into the world of holistic health and functional medicine, energy work has been coming up more and more. At first I think "uh oh, take this woo woo with a grain of salt!" and it's true, you do need to be careful who you work with, and know what your personal and spiritual beliefs are and if they align with the practitioner you choose to see....

In my case, I'm a Christian and wholeheartedly believe in the spiritual realm which means there is a good side and a bad side to that. In working with someone on anything spiritual or energy related I would want to make sure I felt comfortable with the process and their point of view.

As skeptical as I have been in the past I am opening up to the possibility that emotional and energy work may be just as important as physical care in our future healthcare model. Consider this: You can find yourself in a traumatic situation and physically heal but if you have not emotionally recovered that event will follow you the rest of your life and may prevent you from healing physically 100%.

There is a spiritual aspect to healing that we don't fully understand and may never comprehend completely. Intuitively we do know that there are ties and cords, thoughts and feelings that come from or connect us to others that contribute to our physical health and if we are not vigilant in this area we may find that bitterness, depression and anxiety have a much stronger chance of taking hold when negative things happen.

A few months ago my friend introduced me to Lisa McCoskey who I interviewed on my podcast about her book The Living Well Code. Lisa happens to also be an emotional code practitioner and  when my curiosity was peaked she gifted me a session with her daughter.

I had no idea what emotional code therapy WAS and when my initial session was over the phone I was thinking "is this girl psychic? this is weird....do i believe this? how is she doing this....this is so accurate!"....

Turns out, she was using muscle testing after "connecting to my energy" so she could walk through the session remotely. 

I know I know...it sounds nuts but let me explain. Muscle testing, or kinesiology, is based on the belief that your subconscious knows the answers to questions and cannot lie. You can experiment with this theory at home by having a friend hold out their arm in front of you. Then ask them to say their actual name out loud. Once they have done that, press down gently on their arm and feel the resistance. Because they just spoke truth it should be pretty firm. Now repeat this a second time but have them identify themselves with another name "My name is...snoopy". Press down on their arm and you may notice that it falls down or is much weaker because their body did not resonate with that as the truth. Lies and deception actually make us physically weak..... Don't believe me? Try this with someone but DON'T TELL THEM what you expect to happen.

Again - totally skeptical here so I tried this at home and it's CRAZY how accurate this can be. Now, I'm not saying this is scientifically studied, and I'm not saying that there is no room for errors or manipulation here - BUT I am saying that there is much to the spiritual and energetic world that God created that we as conscious and limited humans may never fully understand and just because we don't understand it or because we think it's weird, doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist.

My actual experience:

The first session, like I said, was on the phone. In this session she identified 21 emotions in my heart wall that needed to be released. What was extraordinary about this, besides how many of them truly hit home, was that some were inherited. That's right...some of the emotions that I didn't really recognize as my own she was able to identify as inherited emotions/struggles.

Side note - doesn't the bible back that up? "...The sins of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations..." (Ex 34:7, Deut 24:16, Num 14:18 etc...). We are now discovering in SCIENCE how this is genetically true as well - genetic changes happening generations prior due to emotions and experiences are transferring down to children and grandchildren…so why not emotions?

The emotions identified were things like: unworthy, overwhelm, grief...etc..

Lack of control was one I could certainly relate to BUT was identified as an inherited emotion from an alcoholic grandparent. The whole process was fascinating. At the end of the session we RELEASED those emotions.

Now - because I'm a Christian and my practitioner was as well, I viewed the closing part as a prayer for release. I know that not everyone that goes through this process believes what I do and it may still be effective, but for me that makes sense. When you're able to identify these struggles you can end with a prayer for God to release them.

My second session was in person and even more crazy! The second session was really cool because I could physically see the muscle testing and understand more of the process. Definitely make it less woo woo when you see it happening right in front of you!

In the second session, we identified negative cords that needed to be broken. I.E. Negative emotions going from one person to another (in either direction). Which DUH makes sense....have you ever felt a weird connection to an old friend, an ex, or someone in your life and you don't know why?  Have you ever suddenly thought about them a lot with no explanation? It's almost like you have an imprint on them and over time if that becomes negative that cord needs to be broken.

What was SUPER interesting was while we were going through THIS process a name came up that we needed to address later. Once we came back to that name she told me "That girl is a saboteur in your life". Yeah. that made sense.  A saboteur is someone sending negative thoughts, wishes or energy your way and I could totally see that happening in this case. So we then started the process of identifying other saboteurs so we could break those connection as well.

You guys - this was a weird process and I had TWELVE people in my life that I needed to identify and break those connections with. Oddly enough every single one of them made sense to me - people that had been mean to me, people that were really snooty and looked down on me, people that are just really bitter unkind people....

I know, I know....it's getting weird. But here's the takeaway.....emotional code therapy is so gentle, if it works for you you'll save thousands of dollars on traditional talk therapy AND skip all the emotional pain you have to go through dredging those feelings up from your past. ECT can identify issues and help you let them go without any long, tearful sessions.

Think it's totally crazy? Maybe it is - the mind is a powerful thing so does it really matter if it works or if you only BELIEVE it works if the result is the same? Emotional healing is emotional healing and this is just another tool that may be more effective, gentle, and helpful for those who need it. 

Want to try it? Schedule a session here.

What about you? Have you tried ECT? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences below!

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Are Vitamin IVs right for you?

Reverse Engineering Your Health Goals

Are vitamin IVs right for you?

Hey Hey Diva friends!

WOW what a whirlwind this past month has been. My blogging has taken a serious hit with everything else going on - if you want to make sure you don't miss anything ( blogs, youtube videos, podcast episodes and more) make sure you're subscribed to my newsletter! I roundup everything I've been working on weekly and share it with my VIPS (pssst! thats you!) :)

I just got back from the 2018 Mindshare Summit in San Diego and I am STILL running running all day every day trying to keep up with everything I learned, the changes I'm making, connecting with new friends etc.... stay tuned... some SUPER exciting things are coming down the pike- I have a feeling 2019 is going to be AMAZING!

I'm also only a few days out from heading BACK to San Diego for the 10 year anniversary FDN conference. I'm particularly excited to meet all my fellow FDNs in an environment of networking, business education and further health education. I can't wait to learn more and more!

Because I knew that this month would be so busy (hello jet lag!) I wanted to give myself a boost and try some IV nutritional therapy (or vitamin IVs). I've been aware of them for a few years and didn't think much of it outside of extreme health cases or cancer treatment.

Like many things however, vitamin IV therapy can be used in many ways for many reasons and, because I always like to try things (within reason) before recommending them to my clients I began to search out local places to get them done.

I thought this month would be perfect to help boost my energy in between business trips. I figured the additional side effects of boosting my immune system and increasing my vitamin levels would be a bonus, but it turns out the timing couldn't have been better.

Just before my first IV, I received my Spectracell micronutrient testing results back and they showed a few vitamin deficiencies including a few B vitamins and Vitamin C. 

There are many reasons for deficiencies like this, but since I'm still in the process of working on my own gut health and I just wrapped up a protocol to eliminate 3 (yes THREE) parasites, 2 of which were intracellular (meaning they wreak havoc on my cell structure) and a suppressed immune system, it made sense to me that the vitamins I am absorbing from my food  - particularly vitamin C and B vitamins used for metabolism, energy production and immune system regulation would be depleted.....

SO back to the IV therapy! The timing was perfect. I received my test results only a few days before going into my first appointment. The particular clinic I went to is run by a doctor and so the initial patient visit was able to be submitted to insurance as my annual physical ( two birds!) but the IV treatments were/will be all out of pocket.

Once I got my physical, I showed the doc my tests results and began discussing the IV therapies. Luckily for me, this doc (one of only 2 I found in the area) is pretty flexible and actually asked if I'd like the IV that day. Knowing that I was traveling soon I said heck yes! And can I schedule another one for the 10 days I'm home in between trips?! :)

Depending on who you go to, you may be able to get personalized vitamin therapy - they mix the IVs before each one so you can actually change the dosage and types of vitamins in each bag. Most of the time they will offer certain popular combinations like the Meyers Cocktail, Vitamin C, or a Glutathione boost.

For me and my test results, a Meyers Cocktail addressed almost everything I needed anyway so instead of asking them to personalize it I just asked for a Meyers IV.

Meyer Cocktail

• B complex
• B12
• Vit C
• Magnesium

My experience:

The first IV was no problem! I hate needles and always get a little uncomfortable but other than a slight ache in my forearm it was no big deal. I had been curious how I'd feel since my only IV experiences have been in emergency situations where they pump you full of pain medications and by that point you really don't care about anything because you're so loopy!

The first IV was fairly slow - it took about an hour - once the nurse noticed it was going so slow she sped it up and it seems to go much faster.

Don't expect to come out of the office feeling way different- it's not something that takes effect immediately. Rather, you will probably notice results over the next few days to a week! 

The next week I was having a great time in San Diego hob nobbing with some of the coolest people in the health industry and functional medicine fields. Being on west coast time and staying up late was EXHAUSTING and so I was super excited when I noticed one of the vendors was offering IV's right there at Mindshare! So of course, I signed up to get a boost.

Initially, I was going to get a full bag but I was running short on time so I opted for a smaller bag with just the B vitamins. This IV was super fast super easy, and super helpful midweek.

I had already scheduled a full Meyers cocktail for a few days after I got home and I figured it couldn't hurt to help me get back on track and minimize jet lag so I could be as productive as possible the 10 days in between trips. This IV didn't go off without a hitch but it wasn't too much of an issue- the nurse wasn't quite ready with everything and before she hooked up the IV I gushed blood but nothing painful or traumatic ha! 

Overall I noticed that my energy and digestion both improved over the past few weeks. This was probably particularly effective for me since like I said I was actually deficient in a few of these vitamins to begin with, but most people who struggle with digestive issues, autoimmune conditions or chronic fatigue would most likely be in a similar boat and experience similar results!

Let's talk about the pros and cons:

Cons:

• Must pay out of pocket (approximately $130-180 per treatment)
• Take 1-2 hours of your day including drive time depending on location the office and duration of IV
• Difficult if you are squeamish around needles or blood
• Not many people offer these services so shopping around is difficult and you may not LOVE your provider if you have limited options in your area

Pros:

• Bypasses your digestion (super helpful for those working on gut health -this can be a HUGE boost in terms of speeding up your healing process and helping you navigate lifestyle changes by increasing your energy levels)
• Fast results! IV's get straight into your blood stream expediting your body's ability to absorb and utilize the vitamins immediately
• Optional treatment which means YOU are in control - you can request to get this done as often as you feel is helpful
• Can potentially be personalized - unique IV mix for YOUR nutritional needs
• Can help those with fatigue, pain, malnutrition, digestion problems, those who travel regularly or have vitamin deficiencies get a leg up and begin healing more quickly.

Takeaway

Overall, I found the experience to be incredibly helpful. I realize that this is a significant investment for most, but think about this...If you are someone struggling with fatigue to the point where you are missing work.....you are so tired you can't get out of bed to get your kids on the bus....your gut is damaged to the point where you aren't absorbing the nutrients from the awesome food you are eating....or you are spending hundreds of dollars on supplements that you can't properly utilize.....spending a few hundred bucks to get your body on track is SO WORTH IT. 

Many don't realize that a something as simple as a vitamin deficiency can cause anxiety, inflammation, fatigue etc!!!!

After investing in the IVs you can maintain this level of energy and health through lifestyle, nutrition and targeted supplementation to keep you on track ( which is what I'm doing!). I'm currently supplementing with my deficient nutrients and will continue to do so for a few months before retesting to see if I'm back to normal.

Remember, supplements and protocols aren't for life. It's difficult to get what we need from our food particularly if you are really active, use a lot of energy during the day, live a stressful life, travel a lot, or struggle with chronic illness!!! 

I would highly recommend giving it a try and researching good providers in your local area.

What are your thoughts? Have you, or

would you try nutritional IV therapy??

Pulling back the layers of gut health

Hey hey Diva friends! 

Today I am PUMPED to share some updates with you! Many of you have followed me through my FDN journey with my certification and part of that process was becoming a client myself so I could experience the process and hello....work on my own gut issues!

I recently shared my Journey with H. Pylori and how my testing revealed that i hadn't eradicated it the first time so I needed to go for a second round. While my husband had knocked his out in one fell swoop ( with a shorter protocol while also being less compliant) my gut (as usual) was proving difficult. 

I am happy to announce that since I received my last test in April I am H Pylori free! That was step #1 and NOW, I'm finally getting to the ROOT of my digestive struggles.

Your gut is a really intricate web of little bug good and bad. Normally they live in synergy and the good bacteria keeps the opportunistic bacteria in check. Your stomach acid also plays a major roll in not only breaking down your food, but also keeping nasty pathogens at bay.

When there becomes an imbalance whether from stress, poor diet, antibiotic use, or other (check off all of the above and MORE in my history), this ecosystem of opportunistic bacteria begins to thrive where yeast, fungi, parasites, bacteria, and inflammation all creates the perfect environment for the other to thrive and more of ten than not, when one is found awry, others are to follow....

This is what I discovered in my most recent test. Now that I had been on a protocol for a period of time I was finally able to see what was ACTUALLY underneath. Literally. Pathogens like to create and live in something called a biofilm that protect them. Sort of like a spiderweb of protection for them against your mucosal lining. GROSS!

Anyway, when you go on any sort of pathogen protocol a large part of the process is breaking that home up WHILE targeting the bacteria AND restoring your good bacteria through food and probiotics and gut healing supplements.

But I digress.....now that my insides are exposed so to speak, I could see what was really happening....Below are some snapshots of my test results:

WHEW! Ok let's break this down.

1) I have to major parasites: cryptosporidium and cyclosporine. These nasty bugs are what's called intracellular parasites where they have a life cycle of 7 days and weave in and out of your cells causing damage galore.

2) I have an amoeba called endolimax nana - also not great 

3) Some bacteria dysbiosis (imbalance between the good and bad)

4) Notice in the Phyla Microbiota the ratio is HIGH. The section explains the ratio between gram negative and gram positive bacteria. You'd like it to be under 1. High ratios like mine are typically found in obese subjects or people who have difficulty posting weight which could potentially explain the difficulty I've been having over the past year in losing weight regardless of how clean my diet is.

5) My beta glucaronidase level is high. This is a marker for detoxification and while I could use a supplement to work on that, the supplement can also lower your estrogen. Since I have historically had low hormones and have been working on increasing them this is a marker I will watch as it hopefully goes down through the process.

6) My SigA is very low. This is your first line of defense in your mucosal lining. It's an immune system marker and mine is low ( but not as low as I've seen!). For reference, below 500 is considered a suppressed immune system response. This is something I will work on through my protocol.

7) A random yeast overgrowth - small, but you don't want that to get out of control!

8) Finally, I'd like to draw your attention to the zonulin marker. I love this marker because zonulin essentially tests you if you have a leaky gut or not. Zonulin's roll in the body is to open the tight junctions between the cells in your epithelial cell wall that lines your gut. This can be cause be eating foods like gluten that have been shown to stimulate zonlulin and cause leaky gut, or zonulin can be increased due to infections because it's other roll is shuttling out the bad stuff.

So in my case, we think the zonulin is so high because of the parasites wreaking havoc. The zonulin is trying to help me by flushing out the toxins as fast as it can.

WOAH BOY!!!! That's a lot to work on. But also very encouraging because several things that have  been happening in my body this past year have been SO frustrating when I feel like I'm doing everything RIGHT! This is why it's so important to TEST DON'T GUESS!!!!

I'm on a 60 day parasite protocol followed by a 60 day bacteria protocol ( remember these guys really like to feed off each other!) The protocol will address the parasites, boost my immune system, focus on healing my gut lining, and knock out the extra yeast and bacteria.

In a way, these results make me THANKFUL. I was really getting frustrated with my inability to lose weight, my perfect (literally) diet and my lack of digestion perfection....while SO MUCH has improved for me (energy, sleep, mood, PMS, etc....) I obviously still lave some digging to do.

Many of you may wonder why I don't run to take an antibiotic with results like this! I completely understand that questions and trust me, I've considered the easier, less expensive, and shorter route that that provides. Unfortunately, antibiotics are a large part of why my gut looks like this in the first place. When you use them they not only kill the bad but the good bacteria as well and it's when those good bacteria get low that the opportunistic bacteria latch on. While we can restore health and boost your microbiome we don't know yet if you can ever fully restore your microbiome to it's full glory - meaning - you never ever want to full kill of an entire strain in your body because you don't really know if you can ever get it back!!!

I would also be concerned about taking an antibiotic at this time due to the high level of zonulin which can indicate some inflammation. I don't want to put any fuel on the fire right now so I'm choosing my slow, steady, herbal route complete with nutrition and patience :) 

I hope this blog is helpful! It's funny as a practitioner sharing when you have your own struggles. Part of me wants to act like I have it all together for you but in reality who does that serve? The whole reason I became an FDN is because I was seeking to find the cause of all my health concerns including fatigue, bloating and non-existent hormones! Now I'm finally getting the the root of it all and how crappy would it be not to share the process?

I'll keep ya posted :) Let me know if you have any questions below!