The Immune System Recovery Plan

A Doctor’s 4-Step Program to Treat Autoimmune Disease

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Healing Arthritis

Your 3-Step Guide to Conquering Arthritis Naturally

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6 Signs You Found the Right Detox!

Truth #1: The beauty industry and its celebrity trendsetters have corrupted “detox.”  They’ve led you to believe that you must starve yourself, advocating extreme, medically-unsound programs that promise weight loss, beautiful skin and liver detoxification. They’ve built a $5 billion industry through marketing, Instagram and bad nutrition.

Truth #2: A real detox — a medically-sound, healthy, safe detox — reduces your body’s toxic load with targeted nutrients to help your liver effectively do its job. A proper detox includes real food. Detoxification does not include starvation.

Why You Need to Detox

Clearing toxins out of your body is critical for preventing illness and reversing chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

We live in a world filled with toxins: With over 8,000 chemicals in circulation in the environment, we need to detox. Otherwise, your liver pathways get jammed, become overburdened, and toxins can accumulate in tissues and fat cells. You may not realize that this accumulation is making you feel crappy!

It does not matter how vigilant you are, you are exposed to chemicals in your food, your water, your home, your clothes, your furniture, your cosmetics, your personal care products, and even the gas you put in your car.

Signs You Are Carrying a Toxic Load:

  • You have difficulty losing weight.
  • You constantly feel tired.
  • You experience achiness in your joints.
  • You experience brain fog.
  • You suffer with headaches.
  • You experience mood swings.
  • You feel heavy in your body and in your mind.

A good detox program can lead to a reversal of these symptoms, and protect you against disease.

That is why we offer our 14-Day Whole Life Detox at Blum Center for Health every spring! In-person only (don’t worry we will be offering an online class in June!) I will be co-teaching with Dr. Blum! That’s right, Dr. Blum is leading our first session. Live in the neighborhood? Get more info here >>> https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/main_enroll.asp?fl=true&tabID=103.

Top 6 Reasons You Need to Detox

Remove toxins from the body — Toxins are stored throughout your body — in your fat, bones, tissues, cells and even your brain. Long-term exposure can affect your immune system (autoimmune disease, anyone?), metabolism (trouble losing weight, anyone?), behavior and mood (depression and anxiety, anyone?) and can lead to disease (hello, cancer).  

Improve immune system function — When your immune system is compromised, you are vulnerable to colds and flus, and perhaps most importantly, toxins can trigger autoimmune disease. A healthy immune system helps protect you from autoimmune conditions, and fortifies you against viral and bacterial infections.

Improve your health — Depression, anxiety, joint pain, sluggishness, sleep disorders, brain fog and the inability to lose weight can bring you down. You must reduce your toxic load to help your body function at its best.

Increase energy and promote mental clarity — You will experience an increase in energy, and an uplift in mental clarity. Many people report clearer thinking and the ability to deal with stressors more easily.

Lose weight — Detoxing helps rid the body of toxins stored in fat cells, and revs your metabolism to jumpstart weight loss.

Improve skin quality — This is one of the benefits the beauty industry has hung its hat on. But, beyond reducing acne, and giving skin a natural glow, detoxing with antioxidant rich foods reduces the toxins that promote premature aging. It can also help clear psoriasis and eczema.

 

If you live near Blum Center, consider joining Dr. Blum and me for our 14-Day Whole Life Detox Group Program, a healthy, safe jumpstart to reduce your toxic load, promote weight loss and bring balance back to your body. Dr. Blum kicks us off on Monday, April 29th at 6:30pm. Space is limited. Join Now

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

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3 Strategies to Create New Habits That Stick

Do you begin something new — like losing weight, exercising or meditating — maybe even have some success — and then STOP?

Do you catch yourself saying, “I have no willpower”?

Or my personal favorite, “I know what I need to do, but just can’t seem to do it.”?

All of these scenarios are about only ONE thing: Changing the ingrained behaviors that lead you astray.

It’s not about diet, it’s not about exercise, it’s not about meditation.

3 Strategies to Create New Habits That Stick

Forget about goals, and laser focus on Just One Thing. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t have the best intentions (“I’m going to workout 3 times a week.” “I’m going to meditate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.” “I’m going to eating cleanly all week.”) only to “fail” when life gets busy. And life always gets busy. Focus on one thing that you can do every single day, no matter what. And only one thing. You might want to lose weight, start flossing your teeth, exercise, and meditate. But, choose one thing.

Here’s an example:

I will meditate every day for 1 minute. Yes, 1 minute! The consistency of doing it every day trumps everything else. You’re teaching your brain to expect it and need it. Can you do more? Absolutely. Will you do less? Nope. Do at least one minute every day for a week, and then go up to 3 minutes. You might then go up to 5 minutes. Eventually you will get to the number that works best for you. And, in your back pocket you have your bare minimum: No matter what I will meditate 1 minute a day.

 

Pair Your New Habit With Something You Already Do — How many times have you tried to squeeze in a new habit, only to realize at the end of the day you either forgot or couldn’t make the time. The truth is time is finite and the way we use time is habit! Want to start a meditation practice? Either pair with it something you already do, or do it at the same time every day (and set a reminder). For instance, I meditate every morning with my tea. I sit in the same comfy spot, with a cup of tea, every single morning. Habit.

 

Stop Focusing On Staying On Track and Start Focusing On How Quickly You Can Get Back on Track — Everyone falls off track. Everyone! The absolute key to success long term is learning how to get back on track quickly, leaving behind the feelings of shame and guilt that often snowball when we “stop doing” the habit we are trying to create. One day turns into two, two days turn into three and before you know it a month has gone by.

 

It doesn’t have to be that way! It is 100% possible to meet your goals. You need a plan that works for you. It doesn’t have to work for your sibling, your friend or your co-worker. It has to work for you, and only you.

And I can help.

In our work together, you will create new habits that stick. And, perhaps most importantly:

You will have the exact tools you need to get back on track in record time when an obstacle gets in your way.

Game-changer. No, this is a life-changer!

 

“In working with Melissa I stepped outside my comfort zone and became motivated to move forward and accomplish things that I normally would not have.  I felt empowered, and learned strategies to stick to my diet plan and healthier lifestyle. — Christina, New York

 

Here’s How You Can Work With Me:

Private Coaching — Say good-bye to overwhelm and dread, let go of shame and guilt, and say hello to a new way, molded to fit you and you only. Your tools, your success. Ready to make a change? We meet online or in-person. Start Today
For in-person appointments contact 914-652-7800.  

Finding Your Path: A Women’s Group for Creating Change — Are you in a life transition and ask yourself “what’s next for me?” Are you wondering what the heck happened to your “swagger?” This breakthrough 3-session program is designed for women who want to put the spring back in their step. Ready to walk into a room and feel like you own it? Learn More Here

 

“Melissa is a fun, caring, knowledgeable, and insightful health coach, and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for having this group.  She has helped me to realize what is important to focus on and helped me with strategies to get me where I want to be. She has great insight and a true gift for helping you realize your hopes and dreams.  I appreciate her knowledge and wisdom, and look forward to a continued relationship.” —Annie Acuti

 

Join me and start making lasting change today.

 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

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Should You Take Probiotics?

Probiotics are living bacteria normally found in the human digestive tract that are usually ingested to improve the quality and quantity of the gut’s beneficial bacteria. One of the goals of taking a probiotic is to shift the population of gut bacteria toward one that is more healing and low inflammatory. But most people don’t know that probiotics do a lot more than just influence the population of the microbes that live in your gut.

Many studies have shown that probiotics can repair a leaky gut, reduce intestinal permeability and help increase the production of butyrate (a short chain fatty acid made by good gut flora that is very good for us).  In their role as influencers on the gut microbiome, probiotics have been found to specifically reduce proinflammatory bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus viridans, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides uniformis, and Clostridium ramosum. When these and other potentially harmful bacteria are present in high amounts, they create a pro-inflammatory, leaky gut causing condition called dysbiosis. (1)  The term dysbiosis was introduced over a century ago by the Nobel Prize laureate Elie Metchnikoff, who used it to describe a disruption of the normal balance of the bacteria in the gut and then proposed using yogurt with active bacterial cultures to improve both the gut and human health.(2)

Probiotics have gotten bad press recently because many people believe that probiotics are like seeds that plant themselves in the gut and that they are supposed to grow there and flourish.  When studies recently showed that probiotics in fact pass through us in about 6 weeks, the buzz was that people shouldn’t bother taking them. This absolutely is not true, because probiotics exert their influence without needing to plant and grow.  They help improve the whole ecosystem of the gut and also have a huge role to play in helping treat inflammation like arthritis, and immune system imbalances like autoimmune disease.

For example, researchers have studied the use of probiotic supplements to treat the dysbiosis of inflammatory arthritis and found that probiotics improve symptoms in arthritis sufferers.  Generally speaking, when it comes to arthritis, probiotics are thought to improve all the functions of your good flora, including helping T regulator immune cells work better and live longer, turning off inflammation and repairing the gut lining and tight junctions.  Because probiotics help treat a leaky gut, and because of the gut-arthritis connection, it follows that they would also treat systemic inflammation and arthritis, and they do!  

The bottom line? The strains researched in arthritis with the most evidence for an anti-inflammatory effect are Lactobacilli:  casei, acidophilus, reuteri, rhamnosus GG and salivarius. There is also good evidence for Bifidobacterium bifidum.  Bifidobacterium infantis, E coli nissle, and Lactobacillus plantarum were found to improve tight junctions and heal leaky gut, even if they weren’t studied for their effects specifically on arthritis. This data tells me that a multi-strain formula that includes as many of these as possible, with a priority given to those that have been studied in arthritis patients, is best when using probiotics to reduce inflammation.

If you have arthritis or any inflammatory condition, taking a probiotic is a great place to start.  But to treat dysbiosis, functional medicine offers a more complete approach that includes an herbal program to clean the “weeds” out of the garden.  The HealMyGut program can be done by itself, or as part of the Arthritis Challenge.  

And finally, I leave you with a brief suggestion for choosing a probiotic.  This can be confusing! I prefer to use a multi strain formula that has as many anti-inflammatory strains as I can find.  I love Klaire Labs, because they have been around as long as I’ve been practicing Functional Medicine (almost 2 decades!) and I know they work since I have been using them all this time.  My favorite product is Therbiotic complete, because it includes all the above strains. That’s why I use this for my private label BCH! PURCHASE HERE

Klaire Labs Therbiotic Complete: 12 strains

  •      Lactobacillus rhamnosus
  •      Bifidobacterium bifidum
  •      Lactobacillus acidophilus
  •      Lactobacillus casei
  •      Lactobacillus plantarum
  •      Lactobacillus salivarius
  •      Bifidobacterium longum
  •      Streptococcus thermophilus
  •      Lactobacillus bulgaricus
  •      Lactobacillus paracasei
  •      Bifidobacterium lactis
  •      Bifidobacterium breve

 

[1]  Parian A, Limketkai B, Shah N, Mullin G. Nutraceutical Supplements for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. 2015. Vol 30, Number 4. 551-558.

[2] Zeng MY, Inohara N and Nunez G. Mechanism of inflammation-driven bacterial dysbiosis in the gut.  Mucosal Immunology. Online publication 24 August 2016. doi:10.1038/mi.2016.75

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3 Ways to Stop Arthritis Pain Starting Now

Did you know that arthritis is the #1 disability in the country and more than 50 million people needlessly suffer with it?

And did you know that arthritis is afflicting more and more young people every day?

Let’s buck the myth right now: Arthritis is not a old person’s disease.

In fact, arthritis is an inflammatory disease, and very often the root cause has nothing to do with age!

That’s why Dr. Susan Blum wrote her bestselling book, Healing Arthritis. Since its release last year we have helped thousands of people learn that arthritis is NOT inevitable, and that by following the 3-step Arthritis Protocol, arthritis sufferers will be on the road to living a pain-free life.

We are on a mission to help people all over the world reverse their arthritis! If you suffer from arthritis, we want to help you too. We invite you to join us for the Healing Arthritis Challenge — a 10-week arthritis gamechanger. Dr. Blum with host 5 LIVE calls and I will host 10 Q&A support calls. You will learn exactly what you need to do to reverse your arthritis and we will be with you every step of the way. → Show Me The Challenge!

Here’s a common question we hear from people all over the world, “What can I do to stop my arthritis pain?” While most doctors offer prescription medications that create a whole host of new problems, we offer a 3-pronged approach to begin your journey to living pain-free.

3 Ways to Start Arthritis Pain Starting Now

Make pain-free food choices

In fact, the single most important influence on reducing your pain is the food you eat!

Here’s what you need to do:

Increase the number of healthy foods you are eating.

  • Your grocery list should include antioxidant rich dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, swiss chard; and deep, colorful berries like blackberries and blueberries.
  • Make a habit of eating clean fish once or twice weekly, it’s full of inflammation-lowering omega 3 fatty acids. Buy high-quality, grass-fed, non-GMO animal products and eat them sparingly, perhaps once each week.
  • Eat loads of healthy, high-quality oils and fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds.
  • Fit lots of fiber onto your plate in the form of whole grains, legumes and veggies — to feed the good bacteria of the gut. (Avoid gluten if you know you are sensitive to it, or if you have autoimmune disease).
  • Spice your foods with turmeric, the bright yellow indian spice that’s not only delicious but also combats inflammation.  

Avoid inflammatory foods — this includes highly processed foods made with white flour and white sugar, and practically everything that comes in a box.  Avoid processed flour products like baked goods and cookies, and sweetened dairy products like ice cream. Shop the perimeter of the store – buy real, whole foods in their natural state.

Even better, we highly recommend following Dr. Blum’s Leaky Gut Diet for Arthritis, which eliminates known arthritis triggers for a period of time, and then reintroduces them in a methodical way to create your personal nutrition plan. You can learn more about it in Healing Arthritis, or join us for the Healing Arthritis Challenge.

Utilize anti-arthritis supplements to decrease pain.

There are several supplements that have been scientifically proven to decrease inflammation and pain. These are some of the supplements Dr. Blum outlines in her book, and that we utilize in the Healing Arthritis Challenge with specific, exact dosing:

  • Omega 3 (EPA and DHA) & Omega 6 (GLA) Fatty acids – these powerful anti-inflammatory fats have been found to reduce pain and improve physical function in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  • Curcumin – this plant-derived antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory  has been found to reduce pain and stiffness in Osteoarthritis.
  • Vitamin C – the link between oxidative stress and joint damage is clear. Vitamin C (and other antioxidants) have been shown to reduce pain (and oxidative stress) in inflammatory joint disease.
  • Probiotics – when we think about joint health, our attention naturally turns to the gut and the health of the microbiome (the bacteria that live in the digestive tract).  Improving the balance of the terrain in your gut with a good probiotic can help with the arthritic pain and inflammation throughout the body.

Powerfully deal with stress: Less stress = less pain.

When it comes to arthritis, the impact of stress is largely overlooked. However, stress and trauma have serious consequences on your gut, your immune system, and your arthritis pain.  Improving your resilience in the face of stressors will keep your arthritis from flaring.

How to destress:

  • Simplify your schedule. If you are suffering from arthritic pain this is a cry for help from your biological system. Give yourself time and space to renew and rebuild the resilience that you are lacking. Open space in your week to just be.
  • Find time for sleep. Make sure you are getting over 8 hours of sleep a night. Work backwards from your wake-up time and get into bed 1 hour prior to that. Make a routine at bedtime that is relaxing and supportive – take a bath, sip some tea, read a pleasant book. Avoid screens 2 hours prior to bed and help the whole family get on board. Doing things with support makes them much easier!
  • Make room for movement. You don’t need to add a strenuous exercise routine right away unless you find that that helps your pain, but work towards getting there. To start, just make a plan to have a short walk outside, or put down your yoga mat and gently stretch and move your body beyond the confines of the standing and sitting of your normal day. If you’re feeling more ambitious, try a yoga or tai chi class for meditative movement.
  • Book a massage – or other bodywork – for pain relief and stress reduction.  Acupuncture, craniosacral, myofascial release are all good options to check out.
  • Explore mindfulness meditation.  This can be a simple as listening to a guided meditation on an app or with our Blum Center recordings.  It can be more regimented like finding an MBSR or TM class in your area and starting a daily practice. It can also be as simple as breathing in and out throughout your day with intention.
  • Consider therapy.  The stress and trauma from past experience sometimes holds us back from being able to let go of tension in the body.  We know that past traumatic experience leads to worse pain and function in autoimmune disease – and we’ve found that addressing it can lead to improved symptoms.  

The great thing is you don’t have to do this alone!

If you want someone with you every step of the way, if you love the power of community, please consider joining me and Dr. Blum for the Healing Arthritis Challenge. Dr. Blum will teach you LIVE the exact 3-Step Protocol that we use with patients at Blum Center for Health. You will learn the best food plan for arthritis, the precise supplements and dosage we recommend for an arthritis-free life, how to build resiliency so that life’s stressors won’t affect your health, and what your gut has to do with your arthritis symptoms. In essence, Dr. Blum gives you all the tools you need to fix your gut and heal your arthritis. Show Me More

To recap, the 3 actions you can start right now to decrease your arthritis pain is 1) eat an anti-arthritis diet 2) take the appropriate supplements and 3) learn to be resilient to stress. Do these things and you will feel better with less pain and much more energy.

 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

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How Stress Effects Your Heart and What You Can Do About it

For those of you who know me, either personally or professionally, you know that Mind-Body-Spirit self care strategies are at the core of what I practice and preach for preventing and treating chronic disease.  I meditate every morning and spend lots of time in nature. But more than this, I teach others about how stress affects your health and offer tools to do something about it.

For this month, I offer a guest blog on this topic from my friend and colleague, Dr Alon Gitig, a gifted cardiologist who I work with to help my patients get the best care, including prevention and treatment of various conditions.  Mind-Body Medicine for too long has been the step-sister to conventional medicine, but now you can see for yourself that it’s not any more!

Enjoy this perspective from a traditional cardiology practice!

Susan Blum, MD, MPH

 

Guest post by By Alon Gitig, MD, FACC

Health blogs talk a lot about “mindfulness” these days.  Many of us have read claims that controlling our emotions can improve our health, and are left wondering whether there’s evidence to support this.  Research into mind-body techniques is accumulating, as investigators look for ways to lower the risk of chronic diseases above and beyond the proven—yet incomplete–benefits offered by medications.  In the field of cardiology in particular, despite major gains in the past 50 years, there is still an unacceptably high burden of heart disease, even when people are well-treated with evidence-based therapy.  Let’s take a look at the evidence base behind whether stress management might help tackle this problem.

Psychological stress can have profound effects on our bodies.  

Studies suggest that up to 60-80% of all primary care visits are related to manifestations of stress.  A Mayo Clinic analysis identified stress as the most powerful predictor of cardiac events, while other studies indicate that mental stress predicts cardiac death more strongly than cigarette smoking.  Depression roughly doubles the risk of heart attack. Both anxiety and anger have been linked to a 6-fold increased risk of cardiac events, including arrhythmias and sudden death.

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, with potential effects on blood pressure and heart rate.  There is also evidence that elevation in cortisol levels, increased platelet clotting, and abnormal reactivity of artery walls might be triggered by psychological distress.  What’s more, the brain may also directly affect the heart via descending nerve pathways.  Amazingly, recent research reveals that subjects who intentionally generate positive emotions, such as gratitude, influence the heart’s beating into a pattern that is associated with healthy cardiovascular function and decreased risk of arrhythmic death.

These observations prompted studies attempting to improve health outcomes via stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and biofeedback.  Results have been mixed, confounded by practical, methodological limitations inherent in conducting such trials. Not surprisingly, all of these modalities have generally led to significant improvements in psychological well-being, both in healthy volunteers and specifically in cardiac patients.

Some studies have demonstrated improved control of cardiac risk factors as well.  Statistically significant reductions in blood pressure or resting heart rate have been achieved in patients with coronary disease, congestive heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.  Interestingly, the magnitude of blood pressure lowering in some studies (i.e. 10 mmHg) mimics that seen in certain trials of hypertension drugs.

The data suggest that clinical symptoms and physical functioning can benefit from relaxation techniques as well.  Patients with established coronary disease randomized to a 24-day intensive stress-management program experienced less angina episodes compared to baseline (versus no change in the control group).  These patients also exercised longer on follow-up treadmill tests, and demonstrated improvements in blinded measurements of cardiac function.

Of note, a strict vegan diet was part of the experimental regimen, hence the impact attributable directly to the relaxation intervention is uncertain.  Several studies of congestive heart failure patients treated with meditation or yoga demonstrated improvements in symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue, along with improved walking distance on standard 6-minute walk tests.  Here too, the magnitude of the increase in distance walked was comparable to benefits seen in trials of drugs for angina and pulmonary hypertension. Three months of yoga therapy in atrial fibrillation patients resulted in less symptoms and fewer detected arrhythmia episodes on wearable heart rhythm monitors.

But do these techniques prevent heart attacks or prolong life?  Believe it or not, there are two studies demonstrating reduced long-term risk of death following 3 months of meditation training.  Since the magnitude of benefit observed was far greater than would be expected from the brief exposure to meditation, these results are intriguing, but far from definitive.

So what’s the bottom line on stress?

First, it’s clear that psychological stress, anxiety, and other adverse emotional states often cause or exacerbate a variety of symptoms, and that relaxation practices can offer symptomatic relief.  Furthermore, evidence supports that emotional-regulation tools are very safe. For these reasons, two separate American Heart Association committees have endorsed their use as “reasonable to consider” in the care of cardiac patients.

For many people, the benefits of improved emotional equilibrium are motivation enough to try out these practices.  If you’re hoping that your yoga class will control your palpitations, improve your exercise tolerance, or cut your risk of heart attack, there’s no guarantee.  But if you are struggling with persistent symptoms despite your doctor treating you with the best available, evidence-based care, then there’s reason to be optimistic that mind-body practice may offer you the extra relief you’re looking for, with little to no downside to giving it a try.

By Alon Gitig, MD, FACC
Mount Sinai Riverside Medical Group
Yonkers, NY

Do you suffer with stress and arthritis? If you are interested in learning how to become resilient to life’s stressors, and what your gut has to do with arthritis symptoms, join Dr. Blum for a FREE Arthritis Masterclass on 1/22.  Save Your Spot

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Create your Healthiest December Ever!

Here’s a question: Do You Have a “Holiday Mindset” or “December Mindset?”

Here’s what I mean:

  • Do you put everything “on hold” during the holidays and think, “It’s the holidays. Once January 1st hits I’ll get back on track?” That is a “Holiday Mindset.”
  • Or, do you buckle down, stick to your plans and make stuff happen?” That is a “December Mindset.”

Most people, explains Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, have a “Holiday Mindset” (which puts life on hold and feels kinda crummy).

What does that mean from a health context?

You eat poorly, stop exercising, get caught up in holiday stress, feel overwhelmed and hit January 1st needing to make resolutions and a reboot.

But you can choose to create “The Best December Ever” by staying aware, committed and consciously understanding that everything you do this month sets us you up for success going into the New Year.

Doesn’t that sound awesome? Who doesn’t want success going into the New Year? Why wait for the ball to drop? Why even wait another day?

5 Steps to Creating Your Best December Ever:

1. Create Your Goal — I recommend creating one goal (okay, for you overachievers, you can have two — just be sure it’s something you can stick with for the month of December, one of the most stressful months of the year). It could have to do with food, exercise, self-care, meditation, family, journaling, how you approach the holidays — anything you want, but it has to be something that serves you and will make you feel awesome!

So what do you want to do? Let’s turn it into a “Smart” Goal. Smart Goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timebound.

I’ll use myself as an example. I want to exercise regularly.

My exercise Smart Goal is: I will workout 3x a week, mostly yoga, on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, for the entire month of December. It is specific, measurable (3x a week), attainable (it’s not out of reach — saying I want to snow ski 3x a week would be unattainable), realistic (saying 5 times a week would be unrealistic for me) and time bound (the month of December).

Your turn! What do you want to create this month?

2.  Write a “Gold Card’ and post where you will see it — basically, this is a love note to yourself. Mine says, “I honor my body and choose to nourish my body. I give myself permission to say “no” to commitments that do not serve me. I will not allow my family/friends to take me off-track. I choose to care for me. Love. Light. Replenish.” I post mine on the bathroom mirror. Yep, seriously. First thing I see in the morning. Last thing I see before I go to bed. It’s hard work to rewire our brains!

3.  Visualize yourself achieving your goal — Performance athletes use visualization to “see themselves” in action. Basically, you’re rehearsing success in your mind’s eye. This is very powerful stuff? Try it … sit quietly and envision yourself achieving your goal. Feels good, right? Add it to your mediation practice if you have one. Or, when you read your Gold Card, take a moment and use visualization.

4.  Get an Accountability Buddy! — ask someone to join you – check in with them by text every day (or every other day). Hint: sometimes it’s best not to choose someone who you know really well. Why? Because you both are more likely to let one another off the hook!)

I started my Best December Ever on Monday (a bit of a head start) for the month. Feels good already.

Your turn! What’s your goal?

Looking to create your best year ever? Now is the time to get started! What do you want to achieve? Lose weight, stick to a food plan or exercise program, start a meditation practice .. I can help. Set up a free consultation and I will help you create your roadmap to success. Call 914-652-7800 and let’s chat!

 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

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Orange Ginger Mashed Butternut Squash

This comforting recipe is a great change of pace for a healthy, yet flavorful side dish. The citrus adds brightness while warming ginger helps to soothe the digestive tract.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (approximately 2-2½ pounds), peeled and cut into large chunks

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons orange zest

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup coconut butter (manna) or coconut oil

Sea salt, to taste

 

Preparation

  1. Place butternut squash in a large pot. Cover with water and boil for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
  2. Combine the maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, and coconut butter or oil in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a quick boil over high heat, being careful not to burn. Quickly lower to a simmer and cook about 2-3 minutes or until syrupy. Remove pan from heat.
  3. Place drained butternut squash in a large bowl and pour orange mixture over the top. Mash together with a potato masher and season with salt. If a creamier texture is desired, transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

 

Cook’s notes: Substitute peeled sweet potatoes for butternut squash, if desired.

 

BIO: Lisa Markley, MS, RDN is a dietitian, culinary nutrition expert, and co-author of the best-selling The Essential Thyroid Cookbook: Over 100 Nourishing Recipes for Thriving with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. As a seasoned culinary educator and recipe developer, Lisa translates nutrition science to the plate using health-supportive ingredients prepared with peak flavor, seasonality, and nutrient density in mind. Learn more at www.thyroidcookbook.com.

 

Recipe shared with permission from The Essential Thyroid Cookbook by Lisa Markley and Jill Grunewald, published by Blue Wheel Press. Recipes ©2017 by Lisa Markley, MS, RDN. Food photography ©2016 by Kenny Johnson. www.thyroidcookbook.com.

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Intermittent Fasting and Autoimmunity

Many millennia before fasting became of interest for medical reasons, the practice of fasting — abstaining from all meals — was seen as a way to achieve a higher spiritual purpose.

The main religions often have annual fasts, and some have rites of passage, that include fasting so that one can undergo “purification.” The Hindus and Buddhists do, “atonement” through the Jewish tradition of Yom Kippur or the Catholic tradition of Lent, for clarity of religious purpose or become close to God as the Muslims do for Ramadan. And so on.

It is clear, through the passage of time and tradition, that there is a benefit – spiritual, emotional, and sometimes physical – to the practice of fasting.

Recently, fasting has become vogue but it is stemming from the resurgent scientific literature showing great promise in various fields including cancer therapy, metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, and an anti-aging and longevity practice, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s and dementia and autoimmunity.

The definition of fasting is the abstinence of food, drink or both. The various fasting that science is starting to look at has much more nuance to it than just plain not eating.

The popular 5:2 intermittent fast for weight loss was popularized first in the UK. It features a normal eating schedule 5 days a week and 2 days of the week calories are restricted to about 500.  

The more specific intermittent fast, known as time-restricted feeding, has now been gaining more momentum. With intermittent fasting, you abstain from eating for anywhere from 13-16 hours of the day and keep food consumption during the other hours.

The weight loss that occurs with this approach is supported by studies stemming from Dr. Satchin Panda’s work at the Salk Institute. His research looks at the connection between the time you don’t eat and how it plays into the workings of the circadian rhythm, our internal clocks that can govern metabolism and sleep, for example. Recently, the University of Illinois at Chicago enlisted 23 obese volunteers and had them eat only between 10AM and 6PM. They lost weight and dropped their blood pressure significantly.¹

At the other extreme of fasting are those that abstain from anything aside from water sometimes for a day, but sometimes up to 7-10 days. Other variations include bone broth or vegetable broth fasts often diluted. And there are now low calorie versions of packaged fasts called “fasting mimicking diets” that are essentially 500 cal per day over five days.  

Promising Research on Fasting & Autoimmunity

The only study that looked at the role of fasting on autoimmunity in humans were on people who fasted for Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Fasting periods are typically around 12-16 hours but there is variation set by the individual. A systemic review did find a mild effect on the immune system but that was transient and returned to baseline once they resumed their regular eating schedule. Lipids improved in some and there was a reduction of oxidative stress markers in others.²

The most persuasive evidence of the benefits of fasting on autoimmunity come from animal studies. Mice that were bred to mimic an autoimmune disease similar to Multiple Sclerosis were used in the study. Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by the demyelination of neurons in the brain that affect nerve conduction. This is in part thought to be due to the body’s own immune system causing the damage.  

The mice were put into 2 groups, one a ketogenic diet (high-fat ultra low-carb) or a fasting mimicking diet (very low calorie and protein) for 3 days every 7 days for a month.

Researchers found was that mice on the fasting mimicking diet had reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines, increase in endogenous corticosteroids and improvements in T cell immunity. Aside from markers they saw that mice actually had REMYELINATION meaning the damaged components of the neurons regenerated what was damaged by the body’s autoimmune process. This was specifically though to happen during the re-feeding periods. Amazingly 20% of the mice had a complete recovery and all mice had a reduction in symptoms.³

This is certainly a very fascinating finding that will spur on further research to elucidate the utility of fasting in certain autoimmune conditions and we’ll hear more as time goes on.

I am big proponent of fasting in certain circumstances and I utilize the full spectrum of fasting methods in the right person. Would I have this discussion on fasting in an autoimmune patient, yes. But given the current data in autoimmunity it is not a methodology that I advocate early on.

Caution: Fasting is something that one can consider exploring on their own if they are not within the extremes of ages, healthy and without any active disease for which they are taking medication but if one does not fit in this category, it is advised that they seek the guidance of a knowledgeable  physician who can advise and monitor them through this process or to be able to assess if they are the right candidate to go through the process.

Do you have a health condition and wondering if fasting is right for you? If you live in our neighborhood, make an appointment with Dr. Yee. Or, if you live afar, consider a Tele-Education call. Send us an email for more information — > Email Now

 

References
  1. https://today.uic.edu/daily-fasting-works-for-weight-loss
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29230208
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29230208
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Get a Taste of Fall with Butternut Squash Risotto

Take a stroll through a Farmers Market you will likely come across butternut squash at every turn. Take advantage of this seasonal powerhouse — not only is it comforting and delicious on a brisk Autumn day, it boasts a rich concentration of nutrients, dietary fiber, zinc, protein, folate and potassium.

In fact, beta-carotene, the antioxidant that gives butternut squash its beautiful orange color, along with vitamins A and C, support the natural function of the immune system, helping to prevent infections. Perhaps this is Mother Nature’s way of taking care of us going into cold and flu season!

Here is one of our favorite Fall recipes — creamy, plant-based, with just the right amount of crunch from toasted pumpkin seeds. We’re sure this will become one of your Autumn go-to’s.

 

Fall Butternut Squash Risotto

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)

2 cups diced butternut squash (or other winter squash)

1½ cups quartered cremini mushrooms

½ cup diced red onion

1 cup Arborio rice

4-5 cups vegetable stock, warmed in sauce pan

½ tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup chopped parsley (garnish)

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the diced squash, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Spread the squash onto one of the baking sheets. Repeat the process with the mushrooms.

Place the trays into the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes (mushrooms) and 25-30 minutes (squash).

Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. Drain well.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat, cooking for one minute longer.

Add one cup of the warm stock and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly until the grain has absorbed all of the liquid. Continue to add the stock in ½ cup increments until the rice is cooked through and the grains are creamy.

Stir in the cooked squash and mushrooms. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as desired.

Garnish with pumpkin seeds and parsley, and serve warm.

 

Looking for more anti-inflammatory recipes? Check out our BlumKitchen Recipe Book. Our recipes are designed to reduce inflammation, support your thyroid, improve your liver’s detoxifciation function and heal your gut. Start cooking the Blum way today! Show Me Now

 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

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Viruses and Autoimmunity

If you are a human, living and breathing on this planet, then you have already discovered that viruses are everywhere.  

Sometimes you get sick from them and sometimes you don’t. Have you ever wondered why?  

Some people can clear these viruses out of the body easily after their cold or flu, while in other’s the virus can persist and run amok causing problems like autoimmune disease. How does that happen?  

This issue is important whether or not you have an autoimmune condition because persisting, active viruses can cause ongoing symptoms like fatigue, too.  

Let me explain.  

We are all exposed to viruses.  

A healthy immune system should be able to respond to the infection and take care of business, clearing out the virus after a self-limited short illness. I think of a robust and well functioning immune system as the product of good “soil” within your body.  

Another name for the inner soil that grows your immune system is your terrain, which is part of a larger ecosystem that determines the functioning of, well, every system in your body..  (note the gardening metaphors).

If you have good inner terrain, you will “grow” normal functioning immune cells that can clear out the viruses. If you don’t, then they can persist. We believe there is a genetic predisposition that allows viruses to persist and trigger autoimmunity.  

But that’s not all that’s going on. Twin studies have shown us that two people with the same genetics and the same triggering virus, can have two completely different responses, all because of their terrain.

By the way, you can repair your immune system terrain with me LIVE beginning Tuesday, October 16th → The Immune Recovery Challenge Begins!

How do Viruses Trigger Autoimmunity?

When viruses linger in the body (again, most often because of terrain issues), it is called “chronic persistence.” This leads to an ongoing antiviral immune response, which can trigger autoimmunity in a few ways.

First, the chronic antiviral immune response at some point moves from being focused on the virus to targeting your own tissue. This can be because the immune response becomes less specific and it spreads to other tissues.

Second, autoimmunity happens because the virus is inside your cells or damaging them and your immune system appropriately is attacking the cells to get at the virus.

And finally, as the virus continues to spread its “proteins” around your body, there is mistaken identity as these proteins can look like your own tissue. We call this molecular mimicry.  

But you can see, no matter the mechanism, to prevent and treat autoimmunity that has been triggered by viruses, you want to make sure your immune terrain is functioning well so that the viruses are cleared out and not allowed to become chronic persisters.

Here is how to improve your terrain to create a robust and healthy immune system to clear out viruses:

  1. Nutrition:  
    1. Anti-inflammatory diet: whole foods rich in antioxidants, low in sugar, animal and processed fats;  elimination of foods that trigger inflammation including gluten and gmo foods. Less animal, more vegetable.
  2. Balanced hormones:  
    1. Stress system and adrenals are balanced and resilient
    2. Sex hormones:  good estrogen metabolism; adequate androgens to balance estrogens
  3. Healthy Gut:  
    1. Intestinal ecosystem:  adequate beneficial bacteria, good barrier function
    2. Digestion:  stomach acid, bile acids, pancreatic enzymes
  4. Well functioning liver:
    1. Maintain a low toxic load
    2. Clean up environment and make sure biotransformation pathways through liver are working well
    3. Support Estrogen detox pathways

Remember, you can’t avoid viruses! They are everywhere. Instead we work on creating resilience in the immune system so that the viruses don’t become chronic. To do this, we focus on the terrain of the immune system, which leads to the 4-step Immune System Recovery Plan, the focus of my first book on autoimmunity.

How You Can Repair Your Immune System with Me

I am teaching the Immune Recovery Challenge online beginning next week. It is the step-by-step companion to my book, The Immune System Recovery Plan. During the course, you will follow the 4-Step Immune System Recovery Plan together with me LIVE, using video and live coaching. It is a wonderful opportunity, and I hope you’ll join me!  

>>Yes, I Want to Repair My Immune System LIVE With Dr. Blum<<

If you haven’t read The Immune System Recovery Plan, you can find it HERE. In print around the world, it has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of people including my patients in my private practice.

 

References:  

Vieira et al.  Diet, microbiotia, and autoimmune diseases.  Lupus 2014 23: 518

Getts, D, et al.  Virus, infection, antiviral immunity, and autoimmunity.  Immunol Rev. 2013 September; 224 (1): 197-209.

Vanderlugt, C, and Miller, S.  Epitope spreading in immune-mediated diseases: implications for immunotherapy. Nature Reviews Immunology 2, 85–95 (1 February 2002)