My Home Birth Story...

It was about 4:00 PM on a Thursday when I felt like I had lost control of my bladder. "Is this my water breaking" I thought to myself. I knew that if it was I had 24 hours to have a baby at home as I desired. (This is a rule midwives must follow under law) I was not sure at the time, but in fact this was my water breaking. I contacted my midwife immediately who told me to start counting contractions. I had trouble with this because I really couldn't feel any. My Braxton Hicks were unnoticeable all throughout my pregnancy. It wasn't until about 6:30 PM that I felt a contraction. I did what my birth training told me to do..."ignore early labor and go about your business". I needed to make dinner so I did and when my husband got home he helped. We ate dinner, cleaned up and then Max blew up the pool. My contractions became more noticeable and were all over, anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes apart. I was in contact with my midwife throughout this time who was at another birth. She sent the back up midwife to come check up on me. Jacqueline arrived around 10:30 PM as my contractions became more intense. I lied in bed so I could get comfortable and relax as much as possible. This is where I did most of my labor throughout the night. I put to use my birth training by using the relaxation techniques I learned. I went to my "happy place", relaxed every muscle in my body and reminded myself of how God created me to do this.

As morning came my contractions became harder. I moved to the stability ball for a while which provided temporary relief, then back to the bed. It was about 7:00 AM when my primary midwife came. Sheila checked my cervix which was dilated 7cm. My contractions were getting more and more intense and I was about ready to get in the pool. By 8:00 AM they had the pool filled and I got in. YES! A feeling of instant relief came over me from the warm water. Then shortly after the contractions changed in quality. It was like a jolt of energy going towards my bottom. Soon I would need to start pushing.

I pushed for a while with my back against the edge of the pool until the midwives noticed I was not making much progress and suggested I change positions. This was so uncomfortable, but necessary. I squatted in the pool with my arms holding on, faced towards the edge. The midwife told me I could feel her head. As I felt her head I felt inspired to continue. I changed positions in the pool a few more times with not much more progress so it was time to get out of the pool and use gravity to my advantage.

I remember this point more vividly than any other. Max helped me in getting out of the pool. I remember thinking how great full I was to have my strong loving husband to help me. I leaned my head on his chest and took a few breaths. He held me with his strong arms while I squat down and pushed with everything I had. After a few hard pushes my baby's head began to emerge. I felt her head with my hand and became extremely determined. I got back into the pool for the final few pushes. This was it, I knew it was time, I gave it all I had, letting out a loud cry each time. She was born at 10:01AM on July 19, 2013. A flood of emotions hit me all at once.


What an amazing experience that was! I would recommend that every woman experience a natural birth if she can. The thought of needing pain medication never crossed my mind throughout the process. I just knew in my mind that I was designed for this, that women have been doing this from the beginning of time. I am so thankful to my team of midwives for guiding me through pregnancy and my daughter's birth, and also for all of my (Bradly) birth training. I thank the Lord for this precious miracle of life!

Is your body the ideal environment for disease or health?

Today, I was reading an article by Dr Tyson Perez on the connection between vaccines and cancer. In it he said this...

"Claude Bernard, considered the Father of Experimental Medicine and a contemporary of Louis Pasteur, once said so eloquently that "[t]he terrain is everything; the germ is nothing." Following this pronouncement, he is said to have gulped down a glass of water filled with cholera without getting sick. This demonstration was a bold attempt to prove that individuals with a healthy internal environment and a robust immune system provide an inhospitable environment for pathogenic germs and are unlikely to succumb to illness while those who are malnourished and toxic provide a diseased terrain which is far more likely to be inhabited by disease causing microorganisms."

The question to ask yourself is this: Are you an ideal host for disease or are you creating an internal environment that is so healthy disease cannot survive? My goal is the latter.

Another saying is this: "Genetics load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger" 

While genetics play a role they are not a guarantee. If your parents/grandparents suffered from a disease I advise that you learn everything about that disease and how to prevent it. For example, my grandmother is now dealing with Parkinson's and my grandfather had dementia in his final years. I have taken seminars on these subjects, read books and will continue to do so. I am now doing everything I know to do as far as preventing neurodegeneration in the brain. I am also advising my own parents on what to do to prevent these diseases as well. While there still may be a chance that I or my parents develop these diseases, I want to have the peace that I did everything I could to prevent them for the love of my parents and of my future children. 

My hope is that you will give this some thought and apply this kind of thinking in your own life. It is never to late to start generating a healthy environment in your body. God created an amazing capacity for healing within you. You can do it!

Blessings!

Dr. J

*For a great read on cancer prevention and overall disease prevention I recommend The Cancer Killers

  

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Depression OH MY!

As a practitioner, I am faced with a number of health issues. Most people come into my office for pain relief, but many times our conversations will take a turn into other health concerns. I hear “I have trouble sleeping”, “I crave sweet or salty food”, “I have dealt with depression”, “I am having trouble with my memory.”

A number of differentials run through my mind when I hear these comments, but the common thread among these is; they are all related to neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitters are biochemicals produced by the brain (and other areas) acting as signals to the rest of the body, each having a unique effect. The four neurotransmitters produced are: 1) Dopamine, 2) Acetylcholine, 3) GABA, and 4) Serotonin.

Each person produces these four neurotransmitters in varied amounts. This is what gives us each our disposition or personality. Have you ever wondered why some people are the life of the party and others are laid back? Certain neurotransmitters create those personality traits.

You may have experienced times throughout your life where you did not feel like your usual self. This may be due to an imbalance or deficiency in one or more of the four neurotransmitters. Many times, people will self medicate without knowing what they are doing through caffeine, alcohol or drugs. Anyone on medication for depression, ADD/ADHD, Parkinson’s or sleep disorders are chemically trying to balance their neurotransmitters. I propose that we aim to do this naturally when possible.

How can we affect neurotransmitters through nutrition and vitamins? There are a number of foods and vitamins that will affect 2 or more neurotransmitters or overall brain function and these are the ones I want to review.

Vitamins B6 and Folic Acid are involved in the production of each neurotransmitter therefore should be supplemented in times of deficiency. Caution should be used when supplementing with folic acid because supplementing can cover up a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) are an overall brain booster. Your nerves as well as every cell in the body are coated with this essential fatty acid which makes it vital to nerve and cell transmission. Any inflammation in the body will benefit from this essential nutrient as well. You want to get a good source of this or else you risk taking an already rancid supplement which will only cause further damage. The bottle must not let in light and capsules should be opaque, not clear. It should contain both DHA and EPA.

Other brain vitamins:

Antioxidants including Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Co-Q-10, N-acetylcysteine(NAC), also vitamin D (found to be low in dementia patients), Phosphatidylserine(for increased cortisol)

Brain boosting diet:

Lean meats, fish, nuts (almonds/walnuts/pine nuts), Dark green vegetables, Sulfur containing vegetables(Broccoli/Cauliflour), Eggs, Avocado, Artichoke, Oats

If you are dealing with a chronic imbalance or have neurological disorders in your family history, I urge you to get help and start supplementing appropriately. The suggestions above are not specific to any one imbalance, therefore you may need more support. There may also be other primary factors to deal with such as blood sugar issues, chronic stress and hormone imbalances or vascular problems. To schedule a personal evaluation contact me at 305-259-8755. Phone consultations can be arranged. Feel free to comment below.

Be blessed,

Dr. J

Exercising Smarter

Good news! The latest research is saying that shorter intense workouts are more effective than long, drawn out cardio routines. Hallelujah!

I have adapted to this new way of exercising for about 6 months now and have greatly increased my strength, endurance and have seen noticeable improvement in overall muscle tone. These short 10-20 minute workouts are ideal for all people with a busy lifestyle and who despise working out. You may feel like you are going to die within those 10-20 minutes, but just think "It will be over in a few minutes." You will feel amazing later and enjoy looking in the mirror at your fit body.

If you are a nerd like me and want to know more, check out these articles by Dr. Mercola click here & here

If you need ideas on what types of workouts to do, follow me on Pinterest, where I re-post workouts that I find. click here

Here are some of my favorite workout sites:
/www.bodyrock.tv/
Zuzka Light Youtube
BeFit Youtube

If you find these workout routines to be stressful on your body, modify them and focus on proper form. The idea is to do an intense workout for 10-20 minutes.

Blessings,

Dr. J

Inner Beauty

Confession: I was a smoker at one point in my life. Fortunately, it was a short phase and easy for me to quit. I remember at one point during this phase, a good friend said to me, “Jessica, you are beautiful on the outside, but you are making yourself ugly on the inside?” I thought about that today, as I look at women around me and pictures of beautiful people. Many of us are aware of our outer appearance, but how many of us are concerned with our inner beauty. What do you think your organs look like? Are your lungs blackened? Is your liver enlarged? Are the rest of your organs inflamed? Think about this for a few seconds.

You may not have any physical symptoms of the ugliness going on inside. In fact, I have taken the x-rays and seen the lab results of some beautiful people, only to find out they are really messed up inside. They have had no pain or symptoms (or have ignored them) up until they come in to see me.

I challenge you to come into an awareness of what you may look like on the inside. Also, if your body is expressing a symptom of any kind, what is it telling you? Many times symptoms of poor health will show up in the eyes, teeth, nails or skin. Think about what you are putting into your body, or on your body, or the everyday toxins around you. Once you have the knowledge then you can take action.

Blessings and Love,

Dr. J

*To the right you will find some websites and books that can give you the tools to become informed about your health. I would recommend subscribing to Dr. Mercola's site to start. "Healthy Child Healthy World" is also a good one to subscribe to. I also welcome your questions and thoughts so feel free to contact me.

Breakfast for Dinner - Mushroom and Herb Omelet

I try to plan out most meals for the week, but Saturdays are what I call "Fend for yourself night". Since grocery day is tomorrow and I had only a few fresh ingredients left I decided on breakfast for dinner. I love a savory omelet with garlic and herbs. Here is what I did.

First saute the vegetables and herbs. I used some wild mushrooms I got from the farmers market last week, chopped onion and dried rosemary. (I would have added tomato if I had some) Cook to your desired taste and add chopped garlic at end and take off heat. In another saute pan, make your omelet (I like to use one egg with one egg white, organic and range free eggs) Tonight I used Earth Balance vegan/soy free butter in my pan, but a better choice would have been coconut oil. (I wanted the butter taste). Top with some more herbs if you like. Salt and pepper to taste and Voila! 

How fat is stored & used in the body: An essential concept for weight loss...

Many of us have heard the best way to lose weight is to eat or snack throughout the day. The problem is that this concept does not compliment how we store and use fat.

Imagine 3 storage tanks in the body. The first tank is glycogen. This is stored glucose, and is the first tank to be burned off for fuel or energy. The next two tanks are muscle and fat. These are broken down into glucose and used for energy at about the same time. If you were to continually put glucose or carbohydrates into the glycogen tank, than you would never be able to access your fat reserves and lose weight.

You may have noticed that you will be burning muscle once you burn your glycogen stores; so it is essential to replenish with a lean protein source.

Also, be aware that you may feel tired while depleting glycogen, but not to worry, you will regain your energy within a few days.

There are a number of things that may need to be addressed for weight loss, but this concept is the first step. Calorie restriction, and low or no carbohydrates are the way to go according to all of my research. If this plan does not work for you, then you may be dealing with toxicity, hormone imbalance or food allergies. There are a variety of other health issues that may inhibit weight loss, which is why the best weight loss plan is a health and wellness plan.