By: Dr. Elizabeth King, EdD, LCSW, CHT

I first heard about Ondamed from Suzanne Somers’s books BREAKTHROUGH and KNOCKOUT.  In these books, Ms. Somers writes about breakthrough medical technologies such as the ONDAMED which deliver “truly miraculous” results.  I’ve been searching for a new piece of equipment for the center that would truly make a difference for my patients. After doing research and seeing the amazing results from this therapy, I knew this was exactly what we needed.  The spectrum of clinical applications of such therapy is enormous and includes pain, acute and chronic inflammation, sports injuries, and anxiety, stress-related disorders, hormone imbalances, and neurological and vascular conditions, among many others.

With this article, I hope to help you understand the technology behind this incredible piece of equipment because I believe that this machine is truly the future of medicine, but it is here NOW.  All I ask is that you read this being open-minded to new possibilities.

What is an Ondamed?

The ONDAMED® device has been used in Europe since the early 1990s and has had great success.  ONDAMED is a Latin term meaning “wave medicine”.  It is a non-invasive, therapeutic device that uses frequencies of sound and weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) to cause a response in a patient’s autonomic nervous system.  This unique technology locates underlying dysfunction as it simultaneously provides a therapeutic stimulus for each patient. ONDAMED’s specific pulsed electromagnetic fields used in combination with Pulse Biofeedback “jump-starts” cellular repair and regeneration. “Jump-start” basically means that it stimulates the immune cells to do what they already know to do.

How does it work?

Humans are electromagnetic beings, and are receptive to electromagnetic vibrations. ONDAMED stimulation induces subtle current impulses in the body’s fluids, organs, tissue, and cells. Temporary stimulation by these frequencies, combined with the patient’s cognitive and non-cognitive participation, promotes relaxation, muscle re-education, and rehabilitation that return the body to its former state of wellness.

There are a lot of PEMF devices on the market.  What is so special about Ondamed?  From what I have seen, it is the only one that asks the patient’s own body specifically what frequencies of electromagnetic energy it needs (this is the Pulse Biofeedback).  That makes it a “Smart Machine.”  We are progressing in medicine from the mere blind application of technology according to experience, treating all patients the same way, to a smarter application of technology, where we listen to what the body is telling us it needs.  This makes Ondamed treatments very personalized.

How can the Ondamed help heal the body?

Besides stimulating cell repair and regeneration by fully penetrating cells with electromagnetic fields, ONDAMED’s pulsing fields enter the blood-brain barrier, thereby allowing improved assimilation of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, hormones, etc. From the perspective that specific pulsed electromagnetic fields are able to penetrate and restore the smallest unit in the body, the cell, a whole new vein in medicine has opened up with endless possibilities; best of all, it is non-invasive.

How can I find out more about the Ondamed?

There has been a lot of research done on PEMF.  One good source to check out is pubmed.org, where over 5,000 articles can be found. 

Food for Thought….

Knowing that the body is mostly electric (or energy-based), doesn’t it make total sense that we should treat the tissue by stimulating the energy fields? Hmmmmm….The Ondamed does.

For more information check out our website www.IHCHealthFusion.com or call our office at (954) 903-9426.

By Julianne Koritz MS RD LDN CLT

Much research in the last year boasts that most Americans are deficient in vitamin D (cholecalciferol: Vitamin D3). This deficiency has been linked to many chronic health conditions such as heart disease and cancer, which are our top two leading causes of death in the USA.

Low vitamin D levels are related to so many health concerns including: osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and stroke, blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, parathyroid problems, immune function — even weight loss. Vitamin D deficiency may be characterized by muscle pain, weak bones/fractures, low energy and fatigue, lowered immunity, symptoms of depression and mood swings, and sleep irregularities.

Women with renal problems or intestinal concerns (such as IBS or Crohn’s disease) may be vitamin D deficient because they can neither absorb nor adequately convert the nutrient.

Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN of womentowomen.com states, “I test all of my patients, and have been surprised to find that more than 85% come up with a vitamin D deficiency”.  The recent research has caused a rush in the supplement industry to take advantage of consumer fear.  However, do not run, walk or even drive to the supplement store just yet.  First, you need to do some homework.  The most important step before you start taking vitamin D is to get your blood level checked.  This is a simple blood test that can be done at your doctor’s office or your local lab, with a doctor’s order.  From there you can decide if you need to increase your level of vitamin D.

The sources of vitamin D are fortified milk products and sunlight.  It is also found in fatty fish. However, sunlight is not always our best source because people use sunscreen which inhibits the formation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D: the precursor of vitamin D.  If we want to get our vitamin D from the sun we need to sit out in the sun for at least 15 minutes and let our skin “pink” up several times a week.  Now we all know the effects of too much sun, so many of us are not willing to do this.  Exposure to the sun is great for your health, you just need to be wise about how long you stay exposed.  Obviously, getting burned is not healthy. The color of one’s skin affects the amount of vitamin D that is manufactured by our body and sun.  The darker the skin color the less vitamin D precursor is manufactured.

So, what is so important about Vitamin D anyways? It’s just for our bones, isn’t it? No.  Vitamin D is converted thru the liver and kidney as calitriol.  Its major function is mineralization of calcium and phosphorus, but it also promotes normal cell growth, and works to maintain hormonal balance and a healthy immune system.  Vitamin D is an essential nutrient since we can’t manufacture it without outside help.

So, first, get your vitamin D level tested, then supplement accordingly with high quality products from reputable manufacturers.  Normal vitamin D levels require supplementation of 1000-2000 mg daily.

Hi Everyone…It has been awhile since my last post.  I have been extremely busy trying to learn and do everything that an office manager does and more ( I lost my office manager a few weeks ago).  Anyway, I did want to fill you all in on what is going on with my quest to get healthier and lose weight.  Well, I have been hovering in the 12-13 pound range for awhile.  The great news is that even though I have not lost a lot more weight (although for me 12 pounds is significant in 2 months) I am feeling really good despite the fact that I am working 15-16 hour days.  I have not been able to go to the gym as often as I like and Sunny, my fitness coach is being very patient with me.  There are just not enough hours in the day.  I hope I will hire someone soon and then I can get back to the gym 4-5 times per week.

I also wanted to tell you that I am back on my Juice Plus.  I had stopped it for about 3 weeks because I was trying to detox from everything.  But I quickly figured out that my body did not like being off of it.  For 2 years I had suffered from a pain on the rightside of my body. The doctors could not identify why I was having the pain and therefore told me that there was nothing that I could do to make it go away.  A week after I started taking Juice Plus, it went away.  I am back on it for the past 3 weeks and the pain is gone again. uhmmmm.  If anyone reading this wants to know about Juice Plus, just go to www.IHCJuicePlus.com  and watch the video.   The research is also amazing.  By the way, this is not an advertisement for Juice Plus, but I carry 2 items in my center (I am very picky on what I endorse) and Juice Plus is one of them.  It makes so much sense, it is almost silly to try to explain why it works. Simply put…we need more fruits and vegetables then what most of us consume.  Juice Plus provides it for you and your family in capsules and gummies for children or adults that don’t like taking pills.  Just take a look at it and let me know what you think.

On another note, the other day I ate a couple of fried plantains from Whole Foods  and I had a headache for 2 whole days. Another uhmmmmm. According to Julianne, my nutritionist, I need to read what it was fried in and if there were other ingredients that I am sensitive to.  I just assumed that if it came from Whole Foods it would be ok for me.  Guess not.  Next time, I will read the list of ingredients.  I love plantains, but it was not worth 2 days of my life.

Hope you are also being more careful in what you are ingesting.  Seriously people, it is not worth it.  Think about it.

Until next time,

Dr. Eizabeth King  (aka HealthFusion Coach)

IHCHealthFusion.com

By Julianne Koritz, MS, RD, LDN, CLT

I want you to take a piece of note paper and write down what diets you have tried and how much weight you lost on each. Don’t get discouraged if you didn’t succeed. It’s estimated that 90% of people gain their weight back; however, at least you did try them or attempt to follow their restrictions and rules.

I want you to see if there is a pattern in your behavior. Do you start the diet and then drop off in less than 3 days? Do you never get started? Do you follow it perfectly and lose the weight only to fall back into your normal pattern of life causing the weight to come back? Everyone has their own pattern of trying to change their eating habits while using the latest and greatest “diet books” or “diet foods”.

We tend to wonder why America is so fat. Is it all the processed foods; is it our work ethics, or are we just lazy?

William L. Weis, a management professor at Seattle University, says revenue from the “obesity industries” will likely top $315 billion this year and perhaps far more. That includes $133.7 billion for fast-food restaurants, $124.7 billion for medical treatments related to obesity, and $1.8 billion just for diet books — all told, nearly 3 percent of the overall U.S. economy. (Washington Post; 1.22.2006). That is a lot of money generated from one chronic condition, which over 50% of American’s fall subject to.

Through out one’s lifespan, obesity costs the health industry approximately $10,000. Not to mention the shortened lifespan that obesity tends to cause. In today’s society, many are living longer but sadly many are also dying longer. People’s bodies are getting sicker sooner and slowly deteriorating because of complications related to Diabetes, stroke or heart disease, or several other issues.

Most people are aware of the many unwanted health conditions that accompany struggles with weigh. The question many people ask is, “What can we do about it if all these diet products fail us?” I hope to shed some light on this question. Diets tend to fail because they do not fit into our lifestyle. It takes hard work to break a habit and establish new pattern of living. To make a dietary change that will last a lifetime it can take 30-90 days of repeat efforts.

The main reason we gain weight is because we consume more calories (energy) than we put out. We could start working out every day for 30 minutes, but most people don’t want to change their lifestyle- again, why diets don’t work. The only way for many people to lose some weight, and keep it off, is to cut down on their portion size. No one can deny that Americans tend to overeat. Just take a look at the portion sizes we accept as “normal”. A typical meal at lunch or dinner has 1,200-1,500 calories, which is over half our daily need.

I have a suggestion, which shouldn’t be too difficult, that will help you develop a good habit that is proven for successful weight lose. My suggestion is that you reduce the size of your portions little by little. Instead of eating 3-4 pieces of pizza, eat only 1-2. When eating out, save half of the meal for lunch the next day, which also saves you money ($10 for lunch everyday is expensive- if you eat out for lunch 4 times a week, you would save $40 plus gas money). If you go out with friends and normally have 5-6 beers or 3-4 glasses of wine, then have 3-4 beers or 1-2 glasses of wine. Try Sharing a meal or dessert with a friend or two. Slowly decrease the overall intake of what you consume. It’s not drastic, it’s not a huge change, and you will still be eating the same foods, just less. Don’t worry, you won’t starve! However, you will start to lose weight and we all feel pretty good when we start to slim down. We may even feel better, enjoy our partner more, be able to play with our kids, sleep better, get off some medications and keep more money in our pocket.

I challenge you to try it for a month! Yes, a month! Our bodies need time to adjust and the weight will come off easily as you decrease your total caloric intake. Don’t just think about what you consumed for one specific meal but rather what you consumed over the entire day. Changing the amount we consume is a start to cutting down the total caloric intake. It’s not hard, just step away from the table.

By: Dr. Elizabeth King, EdD, LCSW, CHt

Have you ever heard of EMDR? If you haven’t, and you or someone you love suffer from symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, chronic pain as well as a number of other chronic mental or physical illness, you need to find out whether EMDR can help you.  The fact is that research has shown the effectiveness of EMDR.   As a therapist that uses EMDR almost every day in my practice, I can tell you that I have seen incredible results.  For the readers out there that are skeptical because you have tried all sorts of different types of therapies and little or nothing has worked, ask yourself, “what do I have to lose?”   Please read on because what you are about to learn from this article may change your life or the life of a loved one.

So what does EMDR stand for and who developed it?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was developed in 1987 by a psychologist named Dr. Francine Shapiro.  In 1989, Dr. Shapiro published encouraging results of EMDR therapy for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Journal of Traumatic Stress and got recognition for her work.

How and why does EMDR work?

Quite honestly, even researchers have a difficult time explaining how and why EMDR works. At some level it is still a bit of a mystery. But regardless of its complexity, the end result is that the research has proven that it works. As an EMDR therapist that uses EMDR almost every day in my practice, I concur that EMDR is very effective especially when combining it with other modalities that address the problem at the core level.

In a nutshell, EMDR involves the client focusing on a disturbing image or event while the trained therapist facilitates a rapid, bi-lateral (left to right) eye movement which allows the brain to reprocess and neutralize the emotionality attached to the image or event. Typically it takes about 3-8 EMDR sessions.

What kind of problems can EMDR treat?

Research has proven that EMDR is a highly effective method of psychotherapy used for the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  EMDR has reported being successful when treating other conditions such as pain disorders, panic attacks, complicated grief, dissociative disorders, depression, disturbing memories, phobias, addictions, performance anxiety, stress reduction, sexual and/or physical abuse, body dysmorphic disorders and eating disorders.  I believe (this is my opinion, I do not have empirical data to prove it) that the reason EMDR works for many of these conditions is because if you peel the onion far down enough, you will find that there was a traumatic event that triggered the condition.  In other words, if someone is suffering from panic attacks for example, I would develop a timeline of events that happened to try to determine whether the person was traumatized and is still in the freeze mode.  Often times, there is quite a bit of unresolved or unacknowledged trauma.  This is a perfect scenario to begin EMDR therapy.

How do I know if EMDR is right for me?

You are a unique individual with unique needs, therefore your treatment plan should be custom designed for you.  A trained EMDR therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation and consider a number of factors when deciding whether EMDR therapy is right for you.

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!!!   As much fun as the weekend was for me, I have to admit that it was a difficult weekend to say the least.  We all know that the 4th of July is all about the food, spending time with family and friends and the fireworks.  I absolutely enjoyed the fireworks and my family and friends.  But when you are trying to eat healthy, the food part is extremely challenging.   I felt like it was a conspiracy to get me to break…of course, I was the one that invited everyone over to see the fireworks and asked everyone to break something yummy to share.  Boy oh boy did they bring food…I think there was food for 100 people….there was latin food including the food that I grew up with and that I love such as roasted pork, rice and beans of every type and all types of deserts.  On the American side there were hot dogs, “pigs in a blanke” (my favorite), pasta salads (2-4 types) and more deserts.  It took every ounce of my strength to walk away.  How did I do it you maybe asking?  Well, first of all I ate before I went downstairs to the party(it was in the club room), so I was full before I saw the goodies.  That made it a lot easier to say no.  Next, I brought down things that are delicious that I could eat such as pistachios, watermelon, blueberries and pineapple.  I also indulged in a spoon full of rice and beans (which I am allowed)and nibbled throughout the night on veggies.  Whenever I was ready to give into temptation,  I would ask myself…”is it worth it?”.  The answer always came back as a big NO.  To stay the course I also focused mostly on having fun with my family and friends.  I kept telling myself that the new me did not need to eat to be happy.  In fact, I know that if I had indulged, I would not have been happy at all.  I have worked too hard to lose 12 pounds, why would I want to blow it now?   Lastly, I danced.  For me, dancing is the best distraction ever.   I just love it.  I find that I forget about food and everything else when I dance.  So there was a lot of dancing.

I survived July 4th without gaining any weight!!!  That I am proud of.   Goes to prove that you just have to have a plan of action and be committed to your goals.  I am hoping some of you will join me on this journey and take your first step to getting healthier.  Email me and let me know what you are doing.  What are your goals?   Are you having a hard time sticking to it?  I want to hear from you.

Abundant blessings,

Dr. Elizabeth King

DrKing@IHCHealthfusion.com

Please view this video and vote as many times as you can.  I need everyone’s help.  Please forward this link to your contacts.  Help me help others.  Thank you.
http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=19651&promo_id=1

By Griselda Perez, MSW, ISW 

Ever heard the old adage, “you can’t pick your family but you can pick your friends”? Unfortunately, the same does not apply to your co-workers. Like family, you can’t pick your co-workers either.

Even if you don’t like your job, having people you like in the workplace makes life a bit more bearable. However, if you don’t like your co-workers and you don’t get along with them, even a dream job can turn into a seemingly-inescapable nightmare.

Escaping from a job environment that you find toxic has been made even more difficult by the current economic downturn, leaving you little recourse other than to hang on and, short of landing a new job, try to make the best of a bad situation.

According to Sposato and Dylan there are steps that you may take to help you maintain your sanity, helping you to cope with nightmarish co-workers at your current job, or helping you through rough patches in a future job.

1)         Be friendly with your co-workers: Make an effort to show them that you are approachable and open to building rapport.

2)         Be patient: If you’re the new kid on the block, be patient and allow your co-workers to get used to you and vice-versa.  Getting to know someone takes time. If you are an established employee, learn to be tolerant of new employees and give them a chance.

3)         Don’t gossip: Getting involved with office gossip is not only negative, but can get you fired. Don’t participate in office gossip especially since a large part of gossip is untrue. Instead, keep the gossip you have heard to yourself and do not spread it any further. If the gossip is about you and you know the perpetrator involved don’t try to reciprocate. Instead, nip the issue immediately by discussing the matter with the perpetrating employee. If things don’t get better, as a last resort, discuss the matter with your manager for possible resolution.

4)         Respect others: Respect goes a long way, even when you don’t agree with your co-worker(s). Try to respect everyone’s perspective, ideas and all the other contributions they bring to the general table. Learn to work as a team and focus on the strengths each team member brings to a particular project.

5)         Don’t throw stones in glass houses: Don’t trouble yourself with keeping tabs on what your co-workers are or aren’t doing on the job. It is not your responsibility to keep track of your fellow employee’s work ethics or habits. Focus instead on your strengths, efforts and abilities in making positive on the job contributions.

6)         Don’t expect your co-workers to change: The only behavior you can change is your own. If you expect your co-worker to change, they are more than likely thinking the same way about you. They probably see you as the problem and not themselves. If a co-worker shows displeasure about your work, simply ask him or her how they would like it done.

7)         Pick and choose your battles: You may need to learn to agree to disagree. If you choose to focus on everything that is wrong in the office or with your co-workers then you will not achieve any harmony in the workplace. Don’t sweat the small stuff and focus on the bigger, more important battles.

8)         Don’t feed into your co-workers behavior: If a co-worker is pushing your buttons you have a choice to ignore them. Remember to pick and choose your battles.

It is difficult to predict every work situation and its circumstances, as well as which personalities will clash in the office, but one thing is for sure: stress in the work place diminishes productivity and decreases morale. Do your part to create a better work environment by utilizing the eight steps above. Harmony in your work place may be only a few practice steps away.

References:

www.associatedcontent.com

Harmony at Work: Getting Along with Your Co-Workers by Amanda Sposato

http://office-politics.suit101.com

Difficult Co-Workers: How to Get Along with Toxic Coworkers by Melissa Dylan

I am back again. If you have been following my journey since I started this quest for weight loss and health almost 3 weeks ago(actually I have been on this quest for quite some time, but 3 weeks ago I started my MRT-food sensitivity program- you can read about on my first blog on June 4th)  you probably remember how excited I was.  Well, I am still excited, but I won’t lie, it has been very difficult not having Julianne (my nutrition coach) and Sunny (my fitness coach) near by.  I have been traveling for 6 days (trying to write my book on chronic pain and vacation).    I have been trying to be disciplined and eat what I am suppose to (I have my food sensitivity chart with me that Julianne gave me) and go to the gym(with my exercise regime that Sunny gave me), but when you are away from your home, this is very challenging.  First of all, who knew that Whole Foods doesn’t carry the same items in all of their stores?  They don’t carry what I need to have for breakfast and it appears like I can’t get gluten free steel cut oatmeal anywhere around here.  So I am left having buckweat (which I hate) or baked potatoes for breakfast which is not bad once in awhile, but if you eat it for 6 days straight, it is not that wonderful.  Try eating this while everyone else is eating bagels, jams, biscuits, sausages and fresh apple butter. I don’t want to say that this is cruel and unusual punishment, but it is close to it.  The other problem I am having is restaurants. I  never knew how many bad foods are in restaurants.  I have seen different reports on restaurant foods being one of the culprit for obesity in our country, but I never gave it a lot of importance (until now).   In fact, now that Julianne told me that even the fresh fruits that look so yummy in the restaurants are laced with chemicals to keep them looking fresh, I look at the menu in a very different way.  Now it’s all about what can I eat that will cause the least amount of damage.  This may sound drastic, but I told you I am on a mission to lose weight and be healthier and I am not about to let restaurant food stop me from reaching my goal.  I must admit, when the ice cream and french fries are not only being carried past me, but sometimes they are actually being delivered to my table (apparently no one else seems to care about losing weight or getting healthier), I am less than happy to be on this quest.

The good news is that even though I have had struggles (God knows I have) which I like to call challenges (that always helps me to put a positive spin on things), I have for the most part (who knows what the salmon is REALLY cooked in at a restuarant) have remained commited to my goal.  I have not lost any more weight, but I haven’t gained any either, which is good.  I think I am eating too many mangos (I love mangos and it is on my list of things I can eat (don’t go out and eat lots of mangos and expect to lose weight, everyone is different, that is why you need Julainne to help you).  As of today, I will reduce my  mango intake.  I know Julianne would not approve of me eating 3 mangosper day, but I am on vacation, so that was my cheat.  I also have not been going to the gym as many times as I know I should (Sunny is not going to be happy with me).  But I do have a legitimate excuse.  The gym in this building doesn’t have hardly anything I need.  The only have dumb bells a few machines that I don’t know how to use.  Dumb bells are Boring!!!   I can hear Sunny saying in her german accent that find so cute, “Elizabeth, you can do dumb bells if that is what they have,. Just do it Elizabeth!” .  Yes, Sunny if you are reading this, your voice is in my head.  I promise to do better.

 I am so glad I am doing this because I now can without a doubt share with my patients my struggles and completely get it when they tell me how hard it is to eat better.  I love to walk in my patients shoes because it is so easy to give advise when you are looking in from the outside.  It is a different story when you are speaking from within. As a psychotherapist, hypnothrapist and a health coach, I look for opportunities that help me to learn on a personal level the ins and outs of my recommendations. 

All I can say right now is that I wish Julianne and Sunny could be here on vacation with me.  It is so much better/easier when you have support and guidance. 

  Someone emailed me last week and asked for the contact info for my 2 coaches, so here it is….Sunny’s email address is  sunnysteurer@gmail.com  and Julianne’s email address is JulianneK@CounselingNwellness.com.  Julianne consults all over the world over the phone, so if you need a great nutritionist, don’t let distance stop you.

If you want to check the rest of our website, go to www.CounselingNWellness.com.  My radio show information is listed on my website too.  If you want to receive our newsletter, sign up. Matt has done a fabulous job at putting it together.   We promise to send you helpful information.  We will appreciate any feedback because it is important to us that you get value out of all of this.  Remember to keep in touch.  Pass this blog on to others. 

Until next time,

Blessings,

Dr. Elizabeth King (aka HealthFusion Queen)

DrKing@CounselingNWellness.com

I have to say that I have gone online to blog 2 or 3 times since my last post and have not been able to write anything because I have been struggling with the thought of whether I should just get off track and start back some other time.  It has been extremely difficult to keep on track being on vacation.  It seems like everything that people do when they are on vacation  involves food.  I have been tested for 3 days now since I arrived in DC.  Everywhere we go there is great food tempting me.  It would be so easy to just trash this whole thing and just eat whatever I want. But I have a little voice in my head that keeps saying “it’s not worth it”.  I think it sounds like Julianne or Sunny (nutrition and fitness coaches).  I know the voice is right, it isn’t worth it.  I have one more week of vacation and book writing time, I hope I can make it.  It is not going to be easy.  Maybe it was a mistake to go on vacation (really to write my book) only 2 shorts weeks after starting this journey.  I feel weak, especially when everyone is eating french fries.  Keep telling myself  how much I want to lose weight and be healthy.   Who needs  french fries and pasteries?  Not me.  Well, at least I tell myself that I don’t.  Off to eat a mango…(Julianne said I am not sensitive to mangos, so I am eating lots of them).  How are you all doing with your resolution?  Am I alone doing this?  Let me hear from you. I need your words now.  This is definitely harder than I thought.

Until next time.

Blessings,

Dr. Elizabeth King (aka Feelingweak).

DrKing@CounselingNwellness.com