SWFL’s Resource for Essential Living
Essential Self-Help Energy Medicine Solutions for Stress
Erika Dworkin, BCHN®
Harnessing the Power of BrainTap: A Personal Journey
Sayanah Janell, PhD
BOOSTIE™: The Forgotten Foods Our Ancestors Ate
Goldie Rose, MS
The REAL Causes of Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain
Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT
Measuring Your Microvascular System Is Crucial for Your Health
Lisa Sprague, MSS, PTA, LMT Are Contracted Muscles the Source of Your Pain?
Theresa Edmunds, CHC
Denise A. Pancyrz , CHN, DSS™
Last July we launched our first ever issue dedicated exclusively to Energy Medicine and Healing and it was a huge hit! I’m excited to bring it back this year with some fantastic articles about healing the body with these amazing energy medicine modalities.
I have always been a big believer in the ability to heal your body with your mind-I’ve seen it happen time after time in myself and people I know-and have heard countless stories from all of the holistic practitioners I meet and interact with. The power of our mind to heal our body is knowledge I believe we all innately have, but sadly has been forgotten. And quite honestly, most of us were never taught how to access and apply this ability. I am more committed than ever to teach this information and to continue to provide the platform for our Energy Healers to educate our communities on all of their unique healing modalities!
“How
we create what we want is dependent on how well we can maintain an elevated level of emotion to tap in and to stay on the same vibratory level as our creation.”
—Dr. Diane Hayden, PhD
at a lower vibration or energy level. If this happens day after conditioned or addicted to these negative emotions or thoughts. Over the years, the body begins to create emotions through unhealthy relationships, unfulfilling
How we create what we want is dependent on how well we can maintain an elevated level of emotion to tap in and to stay on the same vibratory level as our creation. The problem is as we go through our day we experience challenges, problems, negative interactions with others, and we slowly lose our elevated state. We become unconscious so to speak and go back to operating at a lower vibration or energy level. If this happens day after day, month after month, year after year, our body becomes conditioned or addicted to these negative emotions or thoughts. Over the years, the body begins to create programming that keeps us stuck in these negative emotions through unhealthy relationships, unfulfilling jobs, and even chronic disease. The scary thing is we don’t even realize this is happening!
I hope this issue is thought-provoking and inspires the
I hope this issue is thought-provoking and inspires you to delve further into the amazing realm of energy medicine and healing. I’d love to hear your stories on how you’ve healed your body!
Wishing you health and happiness,
Dr. Diane Hayden, PhD Publisher & Owner, ELM Publishing
Vol. 5, Issue 1
Essential Naples is a quarterly lifestyle publication in SWFL for health-minded locals who need credible information on holistic health and well-being trends. Our coverage is 100% local with expert content that interests both local residents and professional integrated practitioners.
PUBLISHER/OWNER
Dr. Diane Hayden, PhD
Diane@essentialnaples.com
DIR. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/OWNER
Christopher Urso
Curso@naturalnutmeg.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Lori Hubbard
lori@naturalnutmeg.com
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Ashley Frament
layout@naturalnutmeg.com
ADVISORY BOARD
Nina Azwoir, Financial
Deanna M. Cherrone, MD
Derrick DeSilva, MD
Theresa Edmunds, CHC
Betsy Opyt, RD, LD/N, CDE
Denise Pancyrz, Nutrition
Josephine Perez, DMD
DISTRIBUTION
Naples and SWFL, please contact curso@naturalnutmeg.com
Essential Naples Magazine essentialnaples.com
In keeping with our concern for the environment, Essential Naples is proudly printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks.
Essential Naples is a free publication supported solely by our advertisers and distributed throughout SWFL. Please email curso@naturalnutmeg.com for locations near you.
© 2024 by Natural Nutmeg, LLC. All rights reserved. Parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, with permission. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your feedback.
The Weather Channel is a favorite channel of mine, especially when Jim Cantore gets himself all worked up about thundersnow or some other crazy weather phenomenon. Seriously, though, I did take note when I heard on TWC that it could be a very active hurricane season.
Well, hurricane season is upon us, and we're seeing the guides on newspaper racks in Publix with lists and tips and tricks about everything “Hurricane Preparedness.” I recently went through one of those guides I picked up last year (and for some reason held onto), and noticed that there was one glaring omission to the emergency kit list: Honey!
Honey truly is nature’s perfect food. In the instance of a power outage or emergency, honey is especially important to have on hand. The first reason is that raw honey does not go bad. It doesn’t need (and should not be) refrigerated or cooked, so those are three crucial reasons honey should be in your emergency pack, along with lanterns, toilet paper, batteries, and other necessities. Honey is also a great energy booster, strengthens immunity, and can help with gut health, throat problems, burns and wounds. We also have many customers who use it to fight allergies.
The best part of all these benefits? Raw honey is absolutely delicious! Stop by Grand Central Honey and let us help you choose the right one for your needs. Stay safe out there!
Cindy McCartney is the owner of the bee- and honey-centric boutique Grand Central Honey in Naples. The store stocks a curated collection of honeys from local artisan apiaries, as well as those in the U.S. and abroad, most recently exciting new products coming from Africa. Customers can taste any honey at The Bee Bar to find their perfect match. Check out the store’s website to see the amazing selection of gi s, candles, books, and much more—all honey-and-bee themed!
Grand Central Honey 4444 Tamiami Trail N. #2, Naples, FL 34103 • grandcentralhoney.com • 239.331.3386 buzz@grandcentralhoney. com See ad on page 15 >
I’mPeg Doyle, a health coach for mature women. I winter in Naples and summer in the Boston area. I help you fall in love with self-care, eating quality food, and building a lifestyle brimming with energy.
As an older woman and health coach for over 25 years, I know the angst women experience with nutrition, weight, appearance, and health. Weight is often in the spotlight, yet as we mature, have a health scare, or are chronically lacking in energy, weight rightly takes a back seat to the goal of lifelong wellness.
It’s ironic that as we grow older, we may think, “Oh, I don’t cook much anymore. I did for years, and I’m just done with it.” The truth is, the older we get, the more we need nourishing food—and you best get it at home.
When we’re young, we have boundless energy. It comes naturally to children. Parents wonder why their kids aren’t starving since they seem to eat so little. But they don’t starve—they have built-in reserves and are wise enough to ask for food when hungry.
As older adults, most of those energy reserves are spent. It’s like a checking account—you start with a balance that only sustains itself if you eat high-nutrient food, avoiding a zero balance.
As a health coach, I am not at all about deprivation. Together, we create a lifestyle that balances you and gives you the energy you need to enjoy every day.
We’re at a point in life where we can’t waste time obsessing over weight. Schedule a consultation and see how health coaching can transform your health. Delicious, whole foods will lead the way.
Peg Doyle, M.Ed., CHHC, Wellness and You 508.359.6804 • wellnessandyou.com
Naples Robotic Pain Relief has been designated as a Blue Zone Project Ambassador. “We are pleased to be considered a business that helps people live longer, happier lives,” said owner Theresa Edmunds.
Blue Zone Project looks at places in the world where people live longer lives. Several years ago, SWFL was designated a Blue Zone area.
“We can help people live younger longer,” says Theresa. “When you resolve your pain issues, you can get back to being active and doing the things you love. That enhances your life on so many levels.”
Robotic Muscle Therapy is a noninvasive technology that uses a robotic arm and computerized module to provide gentle, static pressure and vibration, which actually lengthens tight muscles, resulting in pain resolution. “When large muscles are short and tight, they put pressure on bones, joints, and nerves, resulting in pain,” Edmunds explains.
This technology can optimize athletics and reduce injury risk by increasing flexibility and balance. As muscles are released and lengthened, range of motion increases and posture improves. “Several clients have said they look younger because their posture is better. And keeping your flexibility and balance is key to aging well,” says Edmunds.
With different placements, back, hip, shoulder, neck, and knee pain as well as carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis can be alleviated. “Many clients come to us after they have tried ‘everything.’ It’s very rewarding to help people feel better and get back to the activities they enjoy. After all, that’s why most of us live here. We love helping people live ‘Pain Free in Paradise’!”
Learn more at naplesroboticpainrelief.com. Call 239.778.6842.
Living in Southwest Florida, most of us are aware the humidity and rain can cause mold issues. But have you considered that mold in its original form is microscopic? By the time you see a one-inch square, it can contain millions of spores.
For that reason, it is not uncommon for individuals living in a home to have health effects from mold far before they realize they have an elevated mold issue. Mold and its mycotoxins (the poison chemical many species produce as a byproduct) significantly affect older people, children, and those with compromised immune systems. Additionally, one in four individuals has a gene that makes them more susceptible to mold health effects.
The latest research shows that traditional mold remediation does not address mycotoxins, and commonly used air scrubbers actually increase the mycotoxins in your home. Air scrubbers that run long enough can help reduce the mold spores and hyphal fragments in the air, but mycotoxins are so small they do not get filtered out through the air scrubbing process. A recent study showed after using an air scrubber, the mycotoxin levels were higher in the structure. The air-scrubbing process actually strips the mycotoxin molecules attached to a spore or hyphal fragment and releases them back into the air we breathe.
If you have ever had traditional mold remediation and keep experiencing ongoing health effects, your home might still contain mycotoxins.
Julie Nicoll operates a fully licensed, bonded, women-owned business with two generations in mold remediation. She holds educational sessions for industry conferences and is a regular author of issues related to mold, mycotoxins, and patient mold illness, having herself been a victim of mold toxicity. She and her partner developed a green solution alternative to removing toxic mold and mycotoxins. Julie can be reached at info@americanmoldexperts.com. See ad on page 23 >
We o er a complimentary consultation so clients can learn more about this revolutionary technology. We learn about your condition, and you discover whether this therapy can help you. You truly have nothing to lose— except your pain. Theresa Edmunds is a Certified Health Coach and co-owner of Naples Robotics Pain Relief. She is passionate about helping people feel better. To schedule a no-cost consultation or for more information, contact 239.778.6842 or visitnaplesroboticpainrelief.com. See ad on page 33 >
Energy healers believe your body is instilled with a subtle energy, or life force, the flow of which must be balanced for good health. Energy healing activates the body’s subtle energy systems to remove blocks. By breaking through these energetic blocks, the body’s inherent ability to heal itself is stimulated. Energy healers help people with a wide range of health concerns, from anxiety to chronic pain to side effects from cancer, as well as with a variety of mental health issues. Yoga is an ancient and complex practice, rooted in Indian philosophy. It began as a spiritual practice that has also become popular as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being.
Discover the transformative power of Energy Medicine, a holistic approach to health and wellness that taps into your body’s natural energy fields. Imagine feeling revitalized, balanced, and at peace—now, these are all within your reach.
Embrace a journey toward better health and vitality. Energy medicine is not just a treatment—it is a lifestyle choice for those seeking harmony and wellness.
Experience healing that addresses the mind, body, and spirit, promotes overall well-being, and relieves stress and tension through soothing practices with therapeutic touch and Reiki—all while naturally alleviating pain, enhancing circulation without medication, and clearing emotional blockages to find your inner calm.
With a background in Natural Health and Healing, Catherine brings her wisdom and knowledge from Europe and the Far East to Naples to offer peace, pain relief, stress management, and restoration, creating instant feelings of ease and harmony.
Whether you’re new to alternative therapies or looking to deepen your holistic practices, energy medicine offers something for everyone. Take the first step today and experience for yourself the sense of deep relaxation, reduced pain, and lightness and increased energy, balance, and order that energy medicine provides. Try a 30-, 60-, or 90-minute treatment in the comfort of your own home or at one of our local clinics, allowing you to cope more effectively with the stressors of everyday life.
Catherine is a Natural Health Practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the healing arts. She is dedicated to helping others improve their health, ease su ering and pain, and reach their full potential. WIth her deep understanding of the interconnections between the mind and body, her goal is to help clients achieve inner awareness and peace.
Catherine is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master, Craniosacral Therapist, Myofascial Release Specialist, Health Coach and Nutritionist, and Audio Visual Brainwave Entrainment Facilitator. She also teaches Energy Medicine, Reiki, Massage, Meditation, and Yoga.
Visit www.craniofascialfusion.com for more information and connect at 320.248.8854 / 239.375.8690.
CHECK OUT THESE NEW COMMUNITY RESOURCES!
Aloma Romanowski Naples, FL • 912.220.1163 aloma.aj@gmail.com lifewave.com/alomaromanowski
The Lifewave X39 patch uses a patented phototherapy to elevate a peptide (GHKCu). Benefits include activation of dormant stem cells, improvements in energy, elevation of antioxidants, reduction in inflammation, and other beneficial health effects. A natural, noninvasive way to restore your body’s ability to heal itself. “Have you been patched?”
Cesar Rios Naples, FL. • 239.592.4809 naplesyogacenter1@gmail.com naplesyogacenter.com
Naples Yoga Center is dedicated to sharing the benefits of yoga by bringing the best yoga teachers in every area together to create an amazing experience in every class. Whether you're a yoga teacher, a seasoned yogi, or new to yoga, our studio provides a nurturing space for growth, community, and transformation. Join our light but diverse summer schedule and get excited about all the great things we'll have during the season.
Are you ready to experience a transformational, three-day, in-person event that will empower you to embrace your inner joy and shine brightly, like a luminous ray of sunshine?
You will leave this retreat understanding how to manifest better health, greater wealth, and deeper, more loving relationships!
This is your chance to join host Jacqueline Kane, LMT, Master Energy Healer, and five other gifted retreat facilitators to make 2024 the year you create mind-blowing results for yourself! See yourself differently. Experience life differently.
Because you deserve to experience freedom in all areas of your life, it’s time to break the patterns of your self-limiting beliefs! The Second Annual Energy Medicine Solution Retreat will help you uncover and dissolve the root causes of your suffering and move you closer to a more fulfilled life.
The Energy Medicine Solution Retreat is the exact answer for you if you want to:
• Design a life with more peace and joy
• Harness your innate power to nourish and heal your body
• Release the ancestral pain that has been passed down to you
• Minimize the pain and daily stress you now experience as normal
• Create a new prosperity mindset
• Make your well-being a priority over pleasing others
• Develop healthier, more loving relationships
• Connect with Spirit, your higher self, and your life’s purpose
The Second Annual Energy Medicine Retreat will be a joyful, celebratory, life-changing weekend. Please join us as we guide you in seeing yourself in a whole new way.
For more details about the retreat and our personalized VIP Package, visit bit.ly/EnergyRetreat2024
Early Bird Deadline: Thursday, August 8 Only 20 Spots Available!
Parker, Owner of Tree of Light, believes that light therapy is the future of medicine. It has helped to heal her on her own journey to wellness, which inspired her to open her business here in Naples, FL.
Tree of Light Whole Body Rejuvenation Center is dedicated to helping our clients who are interested in healing from the inside out. On a cellular level, our ARRC LED light therapy chambers are impacting the way humans (and animals) can address mitochondria dysfunction. When using light and frequency to reduce inflammation in the body, you can begin to heal and even restore energy levels.
The three modalities offered at the center: Medical far infrared saunas, Ballancer Pro Lymphatic Drainage, and ARRC LED light therapy. While each piece of equipment is medical-grade and is unique to the individual’s journey to wellness, when used together, they become more powerful. If you have ever been exposed to atmospheric toxins, whether in the foods you eat or something more serious like mold or heavy metals, we believe our center can help you recover. If you suffer from migraines, depression, PTSD, anxiety, or trauma-based illnesses, our green light therapy has proven to be very effective for several of our clients.
Red light therapy has traditionally been great for skincare practices and weight loss alike. The combination of utilizing red light, green light and near infrared in our preferred POLY for Inflammation setting, is a 15-minute treatment that has seen positive results after 3–15 treatments. Whether you are suffering from pain due to an acute injury or a more chronic condition like arthritis, LED will aid in recovery. Go to www.treeoflightcenter.com for more information, or stop by for a tour.
Donna Parker Owner of Tree of Light
Naples, FL www.treeoflightcenter.com
“Propolis has antioxidant properties—it is antifungal, antibacterial, aids in relief of dental issues, yeast infections, and cold sores, as well as lessening the misery of the common cold and sore throats.”
—Cindy McCartney, Founder and CEO, Grand Central Honey
By Cindy McCartney, Founder and CEO, Grand Central Honey
Honeybees are amazing creatures.
In addition to honey, they are the source of several other products with a host of healthful properties. At Grand Central Honey, we are often asked about these products and their benefits and because of their powerful health and healing properties, we make sure we’re stocked with propolis, royal jelly, and pollen. These cousins of honey are lesser known, so here is a brief overview of each. Though they are all unique, all three have antioxidant, antibacterial, and nutritional properties.
A plethora of detailed information exists about them online—scientists, physicians, other health practitioners and others have weighed in, with differing opinions about the efficacy and benefits of these products for humans. At the store, we advise any clients who are unsure—for any reason—about using them, to consult their health practitioner before buying.
Propolis is a waxy/resinous substance which is a mixture of beeswax, bee saliva, and other compounds. It is used in the hive like a super-nutritious “spackle”—it seals up any gaps so that it is difficult for any predators to sneak into the hive, and helps keep the bees safe from pathogens.
It has antioxidant properties—it is antifungal, antibacterial, aids in relief of dental issues, yeast infections, and cold sores, as well as lessening the misery of the common cold and sore throats. We carry propolis tincture as well as propolis and herb spray at the store, as well as raw honey with propolis.
Royal jelly has an incredibly nutritious composition. This is what worker bees feed the queen bee. Research also suggests that royal jelly also has properties that support health in humans. It is often used to lessen symptoms of menopause, and it is packed with vitamins, minerals, carbs and protein. Some evidence also indicates that royal jelly is effective to use for skincare. At Grand Central Honey, we stock royal jelly in its natural form (which needs to be refrigerated) and freeze dried in capsules. It is packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties.
This is a hive product containing pollen from flowers, nectar, and bee salivary secretions. Pollen is a nutritional powerhouse—it contains plentiful carbs, proteins, lipids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and is widely considered to be a “perfectly complete food.”
It is used to fight inflammation and, like propolis and royal jelly, has antioxidant properties. At Grand Central Honey, we carry jars of pollen (it is in the form of small sprinkles) as well as pollen encased in capsules. Use pollen sprinkled into a smoothie, in yogurt and oatmeal, and as a salad topper.
Consider this an invitation to come to Grand Central Honey—we will be happy to show you these products! Visit iherb.com for a quick reference chart for the properties of these three incredible gifts from the honeybee.
Cindy McCartney, owner of Grand Central Honey, invites you to experience a truly interactive, informative, and delicious experience with some fun tastings. Everything in the store is dedicated to the amazing contributions honeybees make to our world by pollinating our food sources. Grand Central Honey vets each brand they carry to ensure customers are buying pure honey. They are located in Naples at 4444 Tamiami Trail N., Suite 2, and open 11 am to around 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Visit grandcentralhoney.com and find them on Instagram and Facebook. See ad on page 15 >
“…the real foods I finally chose as part of my daily eating plan have enabled me to obtain perfect health. I live disease-free, painfree, vitamin- and supplement-free, and prescriptionfree, and I do not take over-thecounter meds. I aim to eat nuts, seeds (because they are so nutrient-dense), cacao nibs, and electrolytes daily. This combination reduces inflammation, helps heart health, brain function, digestion, blood sugar, and skin health, and boosts the immune system.”
—Goldie Rose, MS
By Goldie Rose, MS
Why am I offering a seemingly boring product that contains mostly nuts and seeds, with a bit of cacao nibs and an electrolyte version? Maybe I’m “nuts”!
Nuts and seeds are ancient foods our ancestors consumed for thousands of years. I think of them as the “forgotten foods”—yet they fit into every eating style that people adhere to these days. Maybe people are bored with them. Maybe they cause some people to bloat and/or have an upset stomach. Maybe people consider them fattening and full of fat.
Whatever the reason nuts and seeds have become “forgotten foods,” I do know that they’re powerfully healthy and need to make a comeback in a healthy lifestyle! Those I have chosen for BOOSTIE™ are rich in fiber, plant protein, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, polyphenols, a spectrum of vitamin Bs, vitamin E, zinc, omega-3s, and more!
My interest in healthful living began with my breast cancer diagnosis when I was 47 years old and premenopausal. I knew that despite the treatment I chose, because of my young age, I had to make dramatic changes to my eating style.
I immediately sought a clean diet and felt comfortable choosing the macrobiotic eating plan. This eating style is organic, mostly plant-based, seasonal, and excludes sugar. No artificial anything was permitted! While following this eating style, I consulted with nutritionists, and I began
consuming many vitamins, herbs, and supplements.
When I passed my important five-year mark, I changed from the macrobiotic diet and focused on eating organic fruits and vegetables and antibiotic —and hormone-free proteins. I increased my vitamins and supplements and thought I was doing “the right thing” for myself.
Thankfully, my cancer did not return, but I was getting sick often. I suffered from arthritis, body aches and pains, colds, sinus infections, IBS, and various strange but not life-threatening diseases. I have always believed food is medicine, yet I had been relying on vitamins, herbs, and powdered supplements.
When I was suffering from a trigger finger (one of the many strange things happening to my body), my holistic veterinarian recommended an energy doctor. With great skepticism, I went for treatment—and Dr. Yang helped me tremendously! She also addressed all the vitamins and supplements I was consuming. She believed I could get all the nutrients I needed from food. Although she gave me little guidance in this area, I started studying the idea—and it would take up far too much space to tell the details of my discovery journey.
What I can say is that the real foods I finally chose as part of my daily eating plan have enabled me to obtain perfect health. I live disease-free, pain-free, vitamin- and supplement-free, and prescription-free, and I do not take over-the-counter
meds. I aim to eat nuts, seeds (because they are so nutrient-dense), cacao nibs, and electrolytes daily. This combination reduces inflammation, helps heart health, brain function, digestion, blood sugar, and skin health, and boosts the immune system.
One package of BOOSTIE™ is one ounce (in this case, more is not better) of the finest ingredients I can source. Each of the ingredients is purposefully selected and combined to provide both a dense and broad spectrum of nutrients for our body. The magic is in the sprouting! Phytic acid is necessary for nuts and seeds to grow, yet works as an anti-nutrient when consumed.
Phytic acid can also result in bloating and an upset stomach. The sprouting process removes the phytic acid, thereby preventing bloating and tummy aches—but most importantly, renders all the dense nutrients very bioavailable to our body! The sprouting process also removes lectins, a wellknown antinutrient.
My mission is to make healthful eating easy— BOOSTIE™ does that!
BOOSTIE™ is loose sprouted nuts and seeds, and has more nutrients than ANY other one ounce of food!
And, by the way—it is delicious!
Goldie Rose holds an MS in Special Education/Learning Disabilities. When struck by premenopausal breast cancer thirty years ago, she started on a journey of getting and staying healthy. To her, being healthy means no diseases, no prescriptions, no over-the-counter meds, and zero pain. Her journey led her to a personal food plan that included clean and extremely nutrient-dense food. Her great state of health interested family and friends. BOOSTIE™ is an essential food in her anti-inflammatory daily eating program, and she began packing it, by request, for her family and friends. Desiring good health for all, her company was born. Visit www.BoostieYourHealth.com, email Goldie@ BoostieYourHealth.com, or call 800.988.7541 for more information. See ad on page 11 >
“Use a hygrometer to keep track of indoor humidity. Place humidity meters throughout your living space, as rooms can vary. Adjust your use of dehumidifiers and air conditioners as needed to maintain a healthy environment.”
—Julie Nicoll
By Julie S. Hurst-Nicoll
Summer often brings warm temperatures, longer days, and, in our region, increased rainfall and humidity. While the season can be enjoyable, the combination of rain and high humidity can create ideal conditions for mold growth in homes. Understanding the relationship between summer weather patterns and mold issues is crucial for maintaining a healthy living environment.
Summer rains contribute to elevated moisture levels in the environment, which can seep into homes through various means such as leaks, cracks, or even through the air every time we open our doors. When combined with the naturally higher temperatures of summer that task our HVAC systems, these conditions create a perfect breeding ground for mold.
1. Increased Moisture: Rainwater can enter homes through leaks in roofs, walls, and excess condensation at our windows. Even small amounts of water can lead to significant mold problems if not addressed promptly.
2. Higher Humidity: Summer humidity levels often exceed the ideal indoor range of 30% to 50%, leading to damp indoor conditions. High humidity can penetrate building materials like drywall, wood, and insulation, which can then support mold growth.
3. Warm Temperatures: Mold thrives in temperatures between 77°F and 86°F, which are typical during our summer months. This temperature range, combined with moisture, accelerates mold proliferation.
Exposure to mold can lead to various health issues, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions. The health risks of mold exposure include:
1. Respiratory Problems: Mold spores can cause or exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic lung diseases.
2. Allergic Reactions: Symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rashes can occur in individuals sensitive to mold.
3. Toxic Reactions: Some molds produce mycotoxins, which can cause severe health issues, including neurological problems and weakened immune responses.
Preventing mold growth requires proactive measures to manage moisture and maintain indoor air quality. Here are some effective strategies to minimize the risk of mold during summer:
1. Improve Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation in areas prone to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Use exhaust fans and open windows to reduce humidity.
2. Use Dehumidifiers: Dehumidifiers can help maintain indoor humidity levels within the ideal range, especially in areas where humidity tends to be high.
3. Regular Maintenance: Inspect your home for leaks and water damage regularly. Repair any issues promptly to prevent moisture accumulation.
4. Seal Entry Points: Seal any cracks and gaps in your home’s exterior to prevent rainwater from entering. Pay special attention to windows, doors, and the foundation.
5. Mold-Resistant Products: In areas susceptible to dampness, consider using mold-resistant drywall, insulation, and paint. These materials can help inhibit mold growth. Also consider removing mold loving products like wooden trays, wreaths, wicker furniture.
6. Quick Drying: Dry any wet areas or materials within 24–48 hours to prevent mold spores from taking hold.
7. Monitor Humidity Levels: Use a hygrometer to keep track of indoor humidity. Place humidity meters throughout your living space, as rooms can vary. Adjust your use of dehumidifiers and air conditioners as needed to maintain a healthy environment. Note that if your AC is improperly functioning or oversized it can cool but not remove humidity as designed. If you are having trouble controlling the humidity, check the humidity levels coming from your AC. If it is blowing high humidity, call your HVAC repair tech.
8. Clean Regularly: Clean areas prone to moisture regularly using mold-killing products. This helps to remove any mold spores before they can grow into a larger problem and mature to produce mycotoxins. Summer rains and high humidity significantly increase the likelihood of mold issues in homes. Understanding the conditions that promote mold growth and taking proactive measures to control moisture and humidity can help prevent moldrelated problems. By improving ventilation, using dehumidifiers, sealing entry points, and promptly addressing any water damage, homeowners can maintain a healthy living environment throughout the summer months. Regular maintenance and vigilance are key to keeping mold at bay and ensuring the health and comfort of all household members.
Julie Nicoll runs a fully licensed, bonded, women-owned business with two generations in mold remediation. She holds educational sessions for industry conferences and is a regular author of issues related to mold, mycotoxins, and patient mold illness, having herself been a victim of mold toxicity. She and her partner developed a green solution alternative to removing toxic mold and mycotoxins. Julie can be reached at info@americanmoldexperts.com.
See ad on page 23 >
By Jacob Appleton, IIN Certified Health Coach
In“There are no limits to the healing we can achieve, especially when we go beyond the physical and address the emotional and spiritual aspects that play into our health.”
—Jacob Appleton, IIN Certified Health Coach
2017, I was a Division I athlete playing tennis at the University of Connecticut. I was at the top of my game, playing in the top doubles spot and number two for singles. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I moved into a house off campus with three of my teammates. I was so excited to be living with three of my closest friends! The house had visible mold in a few rooms, but not knowing much about mold, I assumed as long as it was cleaned up, everything would be fine.
Within two weeks of being there, however, I started to have bouts of severe apathy. I was always intense on the tennis court, so this behavior was uncharacteristic. A few more weeks passed, and I began to experience anxiety, brain fog, confusion, sleepless nights, and panic attacks when I drank alcohol. After eight weeks of living in the house, my symptoms were so bad that I left school so I could figure out what was going on with me.
After visiting a doctor, I learned that the mold I thought nothing of was a significant concern. I discovered I had a genetic susceptibility to mold exposure. I tested positive for five different mycotoxin strains, Lyme disease, and Babesia. I was started on antibiotics and a binder.
Approaching six weeks on the medications, I had an adverse reaction to the treatment, which caused me to become even more sensitive to everything, including food! I became even sicker. Looking back, my illness led me to the most important quest of my life. How can I heal my body and become the best version of myself in the process?
In my hyper-sensitive state, the only place I felt like I had control of was food, so I started there. I conjured up a level of discipline in my eating I didn’t know I had in me. I ate very simply, and I began to feel better. Around the same time, I started working with a family friend who is a brilliant life coach. In our sessions, we explored communication, looked into old patterns, and did exercises where I visualized what my future would look like when I healed myself. Each week, I untangled more of the web that was my identity. I was learning how my thoughts and feelings created the reality unfolding around me and impacted the health of my body.
Doing this work piqued my curiosity about spirituality. I noticed that when I had an emotional breakthrough, my physical health would improve. I was fascinated by this. In the past, when I experienced energy work, it helped with my symptoms, but I didn’t understand that if I could change my energetic blueprint, my physical body could change as well. I was starting to put together the pieces of the puzzle that would allow me to heal.
I realized that my energy, emotions, and mood had a direct impact on my physical body. I became aware that the words I spoke out loud, and even those in my head, had energy and could affect my physical well-being. Reflecting, I always held myself to a high standard in tennis, which helped me succeed on the court, but simultaneously, it worked against me because I was often too hard on myself. This illness forced me to learn compassion.
I couldn’t push my body through this—I had to love it every step of the way.
About a year into this journey, I was given an opportunity to explore genetic testing for myself. It helped me understand that if I could use the knowledge of my genes to support my nutrition, it could profoundly impact my health. Implementing the supplements recommended to me based on my genetics allowed me to take another leap forward. Through this work, I drastically improved my health. In 2021, I was able to move to Arizona on my own to finish college in person, something I only dreamed about in the throes of my illness. Since then, I have continued to become healthier. This past September, I played a tennis tournament, where I spent six hours on the court. I experienced lasting energy and no health symptoms. The next day, I woke up feeling great and able to play two more matches.
I am completely healed from my illness and continue to do the inner work. In the past year, I attended four meditation retreats. Meditation has become an indispensable part of maintaining my health and well-being. Although very difficult at times, this healing journey has led me to realize my purpose in life: to help others heal. There are no limits to the healing we can achieve, especially when we go beyond the physical and address the emotional and spiritual aspects that play into our health. I hope that my journey and experiences can inspire you to see what is possible when we engage the mind, body, and spirit in the healing process. Implementing lifestyle changes based on our specific genetics and activating the natural wisdom that lives within each of us is the path forward in the evolution of medicine.
Jacob Appleton, Co-Creating Geneius from Within, uses a blend of science and spirituality to help his clients achieve their health goals. His personal experience overcoming mold toxicity and Lyme disease taught him the importance of healing on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. He uses genetic and lab testing, mindset work, meditation, and intuition to help create the best customized lifestyle program for you. You can learn more about him on the Creating Geneius Podcast, where he dives into these topics and more! He can be reached at 860.878.2464, via email at jacob@creatinggeneius. com, or on Instagram and Telegram @jappleton15. See ad on page 33 >
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By Erika Dworkin, BCHN®
Absolutely everything is energy, and your feelings of stress are no exception. When thoughts or external events trigger stress, a resulting surge of energy prepares your body to react to a perceived threat. This fight-or-flight response, triggered by the sympathetic nervous system to increase the chances of surviving emergencies, manifests as increased heart rate, muscle tension, shallow breathing, and elevated stress hormones. Energetically, it can be seen as an overload or imbalance, where energy is not flowing naturally but rather is hyper-stimulated or stuck. Fortunately, several self-help energy medicine techniques can provide restorative serenity to empower you to live more vibrantly and effectively.
If your fight-or-flight response becomes overactive or chronic, you could experience physical and mental health problems (severe muscle tension, back, neck, and joint pain, cardiovascular, digestive, memory, and cognitive issues, anxiety, or depression), behavioral changes (sleep or eating disorders, substance abuse), relationship difficulties, and reduced quality of life (clouded judgment and impaired decision making).
An unbridled stress response can also lower your vibration (the energy frequency you emit) and negatively impact your spiritual connection and growth. It can block:
1.your intuition and receptiveness to transcendental guidance.
2.your ability to be physically and energetically stable and balanced (grounded) so you remain connected to Earth’s life-sustaining energies.
3. your mental clarity and ability to reflect deeply or maintain a meditative or mindful state, and your body’s energy centers (chakras), resulting in various physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges, including a reduced capacity for compassion and empathy.
Though necessary and supportive in certain circumstances, the prescription medications that conventional practitioners commonly prescribe for stress and resulting anxiety and depression all have potential side effects and risks. These include memory impairment, fatigue, addiction, increased anxiety, decreased libido, and insomnia.
Since medications force your cells, tissues, and organs to behave in ways they would not otherwise, they also interfere with the natural flow of your body’s energy. For example, chemical alteration of your organs’ functions can imbalance your chakras associated with those organs. Second, medications can leave an energetic residue that introduces dissonance into your energetic field (aura), negatively affecting your mood, energy levels, and other aspects of your health and well-being. A critical third reason drugs can be viewed as energetically toxic is that they often address disease symptoms and not root causes. This generally leaves the underlying energetic imbalance unaddressed and can cause chronic and degenerative diseases due to long-term disruptions in energy flow.
Since your stress can be viewed as a disruption in your body’s energy systems, energy medicine techniques that you can practice on your own can restore your balance, foster relaxation, and enhance your overall well-being. Some of these are provided below.
Given that everything is interconnected, highvibration foods and supplements can support the body’s energy systems and, in turn, its physical function. Foods with the highest energy vibration that support stress management include those that reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and enhance brain health and mood.
For optimal mental health, focus on eating dark green and cruciferous vegetables, wild-caught fatty fish, fermented foods, nuts and seeds, pure filtered water, calming herbal teas, whole grains in moderation, anti-inflammatory spices (turmeric, ginger), various superfoods, and organic chicken, turkey, and eggs (note, however, that some holistic experts view all animal-sourced foods as low vibration).
Natural remedies that can help manage moderate levels of stress and anxiety safely and without side effects (when taken in proper therapeutic doses and not in conflict with prescription medications) include:
1.the amino acids L-theanine, L-tyrosine, and 5HTP
2.activated B complex, especially in a powdered isotonic delivery system
3.herbs such as ashwagandha, Echinacea angustifolia (as Anxiocalm), and lavender (as an ingestible essential oil)
4.wild yam progesterone cream (especially for menopausal women)
Consciousness management, which encompasses cognitive awareness and mindfulness, is particularly critical for stress management. By developing a keen awareness, without judgment, of your beliefs, emotions, and bodily sensations in response to stressors, you can gain critical insights into how you perceive and react to stress. Your increased awareness, in turn, can enable you to identify stress triggers and your habitual reactions to them and thus empower you to interrupt those cycles and choose more deliberate responses. Managing your consciousness and beliefs can ultimately transform your relationship with stress so that you will see it as an opportunity for growth and learning rather than an insurmountable obstacle. This approach can be particularly empowering and life-changing if you are in menopause or andropause (male menopause).
You can begin to control your mind and its perception of stress by asking yourself, “What people, events, and situations am I afraid of?” Create a list of all your negative beliefs about those stressors and then consider how they might be viewed differently. How, for example, might they present valuable opportunities, lessons, or awakenings or be seen as less important? Write down the possible positive beliefs for each stressor that you can then work to adopt over time. “Ten Actions You Can Do Today to Start TakingBack Your Life,” from The Avatar Course, is another valuable starting place.
“Chronic stress is a pathological state that results from how we perceive our situation and react to it. It is often rooted in fear—fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of the unknown. These fears fuel resistance to what life brings, and this resistance manifested as stress can eventually lead to disease.”
—Gabor Maté, MD (2011), When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection
“Consciousness management, which encompasses cognitive awareness and mindfulness, is particularly critical for stress management.
By developing a keen awareness, without judgment, of your beliefs, emotions, and bodily sensations in response to stressors, you can gain critical insights into how you perceive and react to stress. ”
—Erika Dworkin, BCNH®
Basic deep belly (diaphragmatic) breathing involves inhaling deeply through the nose, allowing the abdomen to expand fully, and then exhaling slowly through the mouth. By shifting you from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, you can rebalance your energy and gain control of your reactions to stress.
This type of slow, mindful breathing lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, maximizes the energizing, nourishing oxygen you take into your bloodstream and the toxic carbon dioxide you expel, enhances digestion, improves concentration, and increases mood-elevating chemicals in the brain.
(Bhramari Pranayama)
Yogic humming bee breath, known in Sanskrit as bhramari pranayama, is a powerful stressrelieving meditative practice that can positively impact your body’s energy fields and overall wellness through sound vibration. It is an especially ideal sound healing alternative for those who find traditional meditation difficult. It can also be performed directly before silent meditation.
Pranayamatranslates to an act that controls the flow of vital energy that governs all physiological processes. Bhramari is one form of pranayama, ideally performed for five minutes in the morning and night. It involves a deep belly breath (see above), blocking the ears, and exhaling with a high nasal humming pitch like a bee. You should feel this tone across your face and skull. Different tones can be used with various intentions to produce other physiological changes.
Among other benefits, self-created vibrational humming can calm your mind and support your stress management by:
1.diverting attention from your stressful thoughts.
2.soothing the parts of your brain involved in emotional regulation.
3.improving your sleep patterns by increasing melatonin.
4.lowering your blood pressure and heart rate by increasing nitric oxide and vascular dilation and stimulating the vagus nerve, a critical part of the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system.
5.increasing the levels of beneficial hormones (endorphins/pain, stress, sense of well-being, and oxytocin/trust or love).
6.increasing lymphatic circulation.
7.reducing cortisol, your primary stress hormone, to relieve anxiety, depression, and irritability.
By working these or other self-help practices (visualization, sleep regulation, yoga, sound bowl, and crystal healing, or Chinese tai chi) into your daily regimen, you will leverage the widely accepted principle that managing your body’s energy can control your emotional and physical health. These practical, accessible techniques will provide you with immediate ways to mitigate stress and contribute to your long-term spiritual and energetic well-being.
If you’d like personalized guidance in managing your stress and the many health conditions it causes, please reach out to me for guidance through vitathenawellness.com or text STRESSFREEME to 202.270.5612.
Learn how you can harness the magic of energy healing at the upcoming Second Annual Energy Medicine Retreat, October 3–6, 2024, at Crystal Dragon Retreats in Arlington, VT. Visit bit.ly/EnergyRetreat2024 to learn more.
Submitted by Erika Dworkin, BCHN© Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Dietary Supplements Specialist, Intuitive Wellness Guide, and former owner of the Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe in Manchester, CT, which operated for 65 years. See this full article online at www.naturalnutmeg.com. All statements in this article are practice- or scientific evidence-based, and references are available upon request. The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, are solely for educational purposes, and are not intended to take the place of a physician’s advice. Erika is available for nutrition consultations and to speak to groups, in-person, or via Telehealth or Zoom. She can be contacted by phone at 860.603.3069. Office hours by request at 449 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 302C, Wethersfield, CT. Visit www.vitathenawellness.com to request a Connect-With-Me Call.
By Lisa Wilson, CHC
What happens when the health teacher needs improved health? When focus and drive begin to dwindle? Imagine if you could add precious hours to your day, week, month, and even your year.
Five years ago, I started experiencing extreme fatigue and a lack of focus. At first, it didn’t seem too concerning. But then it became unmanageable. The fatigue was overwhelming. I took daily naps for years with no afternoon focus. I would sit down to tackle an afternoon task and get nowhere. Some days, I stared at my screen for hours. I accomplished nothing or got sidetracked. Can you relate?
For years, I tried everything to break free. I tried various nootropics and microdosing, but they either gave me headaches or didn’t work. I tried early morning sunlight, grounding, infrared therapy, and more. I exercised and ate well. I followed all the wellness advice. But nothing seemed to help. Was it just age? What was happening to me?
After all this, a friend suggested I try something called Happy Juice. She told me it was formulated to reduce cortisol, which is our main stress hormone. It also supports the gut-brain axis, achieved with special probiotic strains that promote mental wellness. I was skeptical but willing to try. They offered a money-back guarantee, so I had nothing to lose. I expected it to fail like everything else I’d tried— but then something incredible happened.
• Month 1: About three to four weeks into my experiment, I realized I hadn’t taken an afternoon nap in weeks. Not only that, but I had regained complete focus in the afternoons— something I hadn’t had in years.
If that had been the only result, it would have been enough. But the benefits kept coming.
• Month 2: My hormone levels began to stabilize. My mood improved. I was laughing more and started flirting with my husband even more than usual. Soon, we were like teenagers in love, all over again.
• Month 3: After missing two days of Happy Juice while traveling, I awoke in the middle of the night with a full-on panic attack— something that hadn’t happened since I started taking Happy Juice. And since resuming Happy Juice, I haven’t had a single panic attack.
• Month 4: Without changing anything else, I lost seven pounds. My body composition changed. My body looked more sculpted, even outside of a high-intensity workout phase. When cortisol levels drop, our bodies stop clinging to belly fat!
After years of searching, I finally found what I needed. It feels incredible! If you’re like me and wish you could find more hours in your day, Happy Juice could be the answer. It has added hours to my day, my week, and my month, and more joy to my life!
With Happy Juice, many experience an uplifted mood that lasts throughout the day. Some have seen physical improvements, such as lower blood pressure. Once you intercept cortisol, many things in the body begin to heal. I get all I've ever wanted—to fully show up in my business, for my family, and in my life. If this resonates with you, I’ve included a link and a QR code so you can get your Happy Juice and experience this change for yourself. You can also read about this next-level Psychobiotic + Clean Energy + Nootropics. It’s all about the journey!
“After years of searching, I finally found what I needed. It feels incredible! If you’re like me and wish you could find more hours in your day, Happy Juice could be the answer. It has added hours to my day, my week, and my month, and more joy to my life!”
—Lisa Wilson, CHC, Author, Public Speaker, CEO
Lisa Wilson is a certified health coach, published author, public speaker, and Amare Brand partner. A pioneer in the wellness industry, she founded and directed the Raw Food Institute retreats for twelve years and was a top leader in Essential Oils for over a decade, significantly impacting the health and wellness community. She has hosted events across the state and country, bringing together health educators and authors on one stage. Lisa has been a panel guest and speaker at the Raw Living Expo, Pure Living Expo, New York Living Health Expo, and many other major events. She’s also a frequent podcast guest and published author. Email lisa@lisawilsonwellness.com and visit lisawilsonwellness.com to learn more. See ad on page 17 >
By Dr. Sayanah Janell, PhD, ND
S“From
stress reduction to heightened focus, productivity, motivation and improved sleep quality, BrainTap is proving to be a transformative tool in optimizing my mental performance and overall wellness.”
—Dr. Sayanah Janell, PhD, ND
tress and distractions seem omnipresent in our fast-paced day-to-day world, and the quest for relaxation and mental rejuvenation has led me, like so many others, to explore innovative techniques rooted in both mindfulness practices and neuroscience. One such method that caught my attention was BrainTap, a scientifically backed approach designed to optimize brain function and promote mental well-being. In this article, I delve into my personal experience with BrainTap, shedding light on its principles and effectiveness. When I embarked on my BrainTap journey, even as someone who understands and practices meditation, I was initially skeptical of its purported benefits. However, that all changed after my very first BrainTap session.
At its core, BrainTap harnesses the synergy of advanced mind technologies to create a harmonious experience for users. Unlike conventional relaxation methods, BrainTap employs a unique blend of light, sound, and vibration to stimulate various brainwave frequencies. This multisensory approach aims to induce a state of relaxation, focus, and mental clarity, thereby unlocking the brain’s full potential.
Central to the BrainTap experience is the pairing of the tablet or mobile device with the BrainTap Headset, which accesses a diverse library of over 1,500 programs and sessions, each tailored to address specific needs and goals. Upon donning the headset and assuming a comfortable
position, the BrainTap program employs several techniques to optimize brain function:
By targeting trigger points in the ears, known as meridians, BrainTap directly influences the body’s organs and systems. Traditionally activated through acupuncture needles, light frequencies prove equally effective in eliciting the desired response. Research indicates that low-level electrical therapy enhances the “relaxation response” of the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting profound relaxation and stress relief.
Utilizing light pulses, BrainTap trains the brain to achieve a balanced state of brainwave activity. This transformation fosters a mental environment conducive to goal attainment and positive mindset cultivation.
Through immersive audio sessions, BrainTap empowers individuals to become the architects of their lives. By engaging in guided imagery exercises, users can tap into their subconscious potential, fostering personal growth and self-actualization.
The carefully curated music featured in BrainTap serves as a catalyst for relaxation and mental focus. Embedded tones mimic relaxed brainwave patterns, guiding the mind to an elevated state
of performance and concentration typically attained through years of dedicated practice.
After removing the headset, I felt a sense of calm and relaxation; but the unexpected surprise was the lift in my recently acquired brain fog, bringing immediate clarity and focus.
After my session, I instantly understood how the rest of my day needed to go—plans, schedules, workload—all seemed automatically prioritized leaving me with a sense of purpose and motivation to get on with it. I remember thinking, “Wow! I need to do that again!” BrainTap sessions have since become embedded into my weekly routine and I’ve noticed a marked improvement in my overall well-being. From stress reduction to heightened focus, productivity, motivation and improved sleep quality, BrainTap is proving to be a transformative tool in optimizing my mental performance and overall wellness.
Other noted benefits include:
• Increased focus, motivation, creativity, attention span and optimized brain function
• Experiencing new emotional stability, mental clarity and balance
• Reduced stress, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, tension, and brain fog
• Improved sleep quality, resilience to stress, communication, and thought process
• Expanded self-awareness and consciousness for personal growth
BrainTap offers a holistic approach to mental wellness, harnessing the power of neuroscience to unlock the brain’s full potential. By embracing innovative techniques such as auriculotherapy, light frequencies, guided visualization, and music therapy, BrainTap empowers individuals to lead happier, healthier lives. As I continue to reap the rewards of BrainTapping, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking to unleash their mind’s potential and achieve a state of optimal mental well-being.
Dr. Sayanah Janell is a PhD in nutritional biochemistry and ND in naturopathic medicine, as well as an iridologist (IPPA), holistic health coach, reflexologist, and Reiki master. With over thirty-five years of experience as a natural health practitioner, Sayanah integrates modern science and research with alternative medicine and spiritual development. Sayanah employs a blend of traditional and modern holistic modalities, along with advanced herbal formulas, to guide clients toward a lifestyle that promotes optimal health and vitality. Additionally, Sayanah practices and teaches Meditation, Reiki, and Vision Board Workshops and offers Health Coaching and Wellness Retreats. Visit sayanahwellness. com, call 239.331.9293, and email info@sayanahwellness. com for more information. See ad on page 11 >
By Lynn Brewer, Owner of Cloud9 Float Spa
We dare you to read this!
Most of us have no idea why magnesium deficiency is growing at an alarming rate, where our own magnesium level is, or how to make one simple change to our lives that will improve our health considerably.
In a recent article, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states, “Ultimately, making sure your body is getting enough magnesium not only helps you maintain good health in general, it may also help you manage stress, migraines, or muscle aches and pains.” Magnesium is important for:
• Energy production
• Blood pressure regulation
• Normal heart rhythm
• DNA and RNA creation
• Bone structure development
• Stroger immune system
Many studies have shown that even those who eat healthy and work at maintaining healthy bodies are often found to be low in magnesium. Our food sources simply are no longer high in magnesium and often even healthy diets are
lacking in this most important mineral. In many cases, even supplements containing magnesium are not delivering enough high-quality minerals such as magnesium.
Magnesium is a mineral involved in many aspects of health. In fact, it acts as a cofactor in more than three hundred enzyme activities in the body and is required for regulating blood sugar and blood pressure levels, maintaining muscle and nerve function, and synthesizing DNA. The proper amount of magnesium provides your body with many health benefits; for instance, it can:
• Assist with sleep regulation
• Provide relief from migraine headaches
• Support heart health
• Strengthen bones
• Relieve stress which can cause depression
• Help to balance hormone levels
• Strengthen muscles
• Improve mental health
From a neurological standpoint, magnesium plays an essential role in nerve transmission and neuromuscular conduction. It also functions in a
protective role against excessive excitation that can lead to neuronal cell death and has been implicated in multiple neurological disorders. Due to these important functions within the nervous system, magnesium is a mineral of intense interest for the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders.
With the rise in autoimmune diseases (there are over one hundred), the search is on for alternatives to traditional medicine, with many people seeking more holistic approaches. One such approach is floatation therapy, in which you enter a float pod or float tank that contains a dense amount of magnesium, then simply lay back, relax, and let your body absorb up to 27% of its needed magnesium in a sixty-minute float.
Characteristics of floatation therapy make it an excellent fit for treating physical pain, helping the body recover from injury and pain-related illnesses, and rebound from vigorous physical exertion. Stress and pain frequently occur together, escalating one another in a debilitating cycle that’s particularly tough on sleep and our ability to feel and perform our best. Studies show pain relief is one of the most prominent benefits of flotation therapy, and there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the potential for floatation therapy (floating) to significantly improve physical pain and the pain associated with psychological stress.
You can call it sensory deprivation or flotation therapy, but those who do it usually call it floating. It’s a mid-century invention that seemed a little wacky in the 60s and 70s, but now it is routinely used by many, from the military and professional to college sports teams, all around the world. Floating can take some people a little more time to get used to than others. Some have trouble finding a comfortable position or clearing their mind. All your senses are deprived during a float session, so anything you experience will be more intense. It is generally a good idea to give floating a few tries, as your first visit may not fully achieve relaxation because of how unfamiliar it is. Like almost everything, one can never expect immediate relief with simply one session. For the best results, make a plan and stick to it. Often the body is often extremely low on magnesium and so will require more sessions for best results. Most who have worked this into their health plans have had very good results with improved health both mentally and physically.
If you are looking for a holistic solution to your health situations, contact Cloud9 Float Spa and Wellness Center to schedule a float. See for yourself, after a few floats, how much healthier your body and mind become.
“Studies show pain relief is one of the most prominent benefits of flotation therapy, and there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the potential for floatation therapy (floating) to significantly improve physical pain and the pain associated with psychological stress.”
—Lynn Brewer, Owner of Cloud9 Float Spa
Come be part of the solution to a healthy life at Fort Myers Cloud 9 Float Spa today! Lynn Brewer, co-owner of Cloud9 Float Spa & Wellness Center, located at 13710 Metropolis Ave., Suite 104, Fort Myers, FL 33912. Call 239.887.4161, email info@c9floatspa.com, and visit www.c9floatspa.com. SWFL’s Only Float Spa. See ad on page 27 >
By Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT
“You literally have four layers of four muscles whose main job is to support the arch of your foot. When those muscles get too weak, too much stress is placed on the plantar fascia—and that is when inflammation occurs.”
— Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common pains that active adults between the ages of 40 and 60 will experience in their lifetime. It most commonly presents as intense heel pain with walking or as a sharp/ripping sensation in the arch of your foot with the first steps out of bed in the morning. Even worse, it’s estimated that Americans spend approximately $500 million dollars every year on interventions to treat their plantar fasciitis! The most common interventions include surgery, cortisone injections, and expensive custom orthotics.
Most people who currently have or have had plantar fasciitis believe the reason they are experiencing pain is due to their high arch or low arch (flat feet) or the fact that they are on their feet all day and not wearing supportive enough shoes. The harsh truth is that none of those are legitimate causes of plantar fasciitis. But before you can believe that, you may first need to understand what is causing the pain in the first place.
Out of the thousands of cases that I've treated over my career, I can honestly tell you that 99.9% of every case was due to one or both of these two things: inflammation of the plantar fascia or inflammation of the posterior tibialis tendon. Inflammation of the plantar fascia usually correlates with the sharp ripping sensation in the arch of your foot and inflammation of the posterior tibialis tendon usually correlates with heel pain.
Now this is where things are going to get really interesting for you, if you are still following along and drinking the Kool-Aid I’m offering.
We need to understand why the inflammation occurred in the first place, and I promise you it is much simpler than what your podiatrist or mainstream media is telling you. Inflammation of the plantar fascia occurs due to weakness of the sixteen tiny muscles underneath your plantar fascia. You literally have four layers of four muscles whose main job is to support the arch of your foot. When those muscles get too weak, too much stress is placed on the plantar fascia—and that is when inflammation occurs. And here's the kicker: Those muscles get weak because they're not getting used when you are wearing shoes all day! Then they get even weaker when you start wearing supportive shoes, custom orthotics, and even worse…Hoka shoes! This causes a downward spiral toward your foot ultimately becoming dependent on external support from shoes and/or custom orthotics because those sixteen muscles are just too weak now to even begin to do their job.
On the other hand, inflammation of the posterior tibialis tendon, which causes heel pain, is most commonly caused by hip weakness! I can pretty much guarantee you’ve never heard your podiatrist tell you your heel pain is due to a weakness in your hip—and again, if you’re still drinking the Kool-Aid, let me explain. One of the main roles your posterior tibialis is responsible for is supporting your medial arch. On the flip side, one of the first things that occurs when you have hip weakness (specifically, abduction) is that exponentially more forces are placed through the medial side of your foot. Now, because your hip muscle is not doing its job upstairs, considerably more stress is placed downstairs on the little tiny tibialis muscle in its
attempt to support the arch of your foot. A great analogy of this would be expecting a Toyota Camry to tow a 30-foot boat down I-75 at 70 mph—it's just not going to happen because the motor is not even close to big enough to accomplish the task. This is why the posterior tibialis tendon becomes inflamed and extremely painful.
With all of that said, now it's time to give you the keys to the kingdom, so to speak! The solution to resolving your foot pain and making sure that it never comes back again is really simple (notice that I did not say easy). All you have to do is strengthen the weak muscles so that they can actually do the job they were designed to do! The reason I say simple and not easy is because it's actually up to you to do the work. It's very easy to go to the doctor and let them do surgery or let them give you an injection or swipe a credit card for expensive orthotics and supportive shoes. It's not easy to actually put the time and effort into focusing on these little tiny muscles and giving them the love and attention they have longed for. Luckily for you, that's where I come in!
Because I've helped thousands of people over the years ditch their ugly, bulky supportive shoes and trash their expensive orthotics (which, incidentally, never seem to fit into the shoes you really want to wear at any given time), I've got it dialed into a science. I can also honestly say that 100% of the people I’ve worked with who completely followed my prescription were able to get back to doing the things they had been missing out on, such as golf, tennis, running, and (most importantly here in Naples) walking on the beach painfree and unrestricted! So, if you’ve already tried everything else and you’re still not happy with your results, would it be a bad idea to give me a call to see if I might have a different (and more effective) suggestion? Call or text me at 239.431.0232 or email me at DrBerman@bermanpt.com now!
Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and the owner of Berman Physical Therapy, where they focus on treating the actual problem causing your symptoms (pain) to help you avoid taking pain pills and dangerous surgeries. So, if you’re tired of feeling “old” and you are looking for another way to keep active and mobile, call Dr. Berman at 239.431.0232 to take advantage of a FREE 30-minute taster session!
See ad on page 23 >
By Lisa Sprague, MSS, PTA, LMT
In past articles, I introduced a revolutionary new medical device called GlycoCheck that was recently released to healthcare practitioners after 15 years in research hospitals and universities (research with the GlycoCheck is ongoing). This technology measures and analyzes the function of your entire microvascular system, so you can monitor the health of the endothelial glycocalyx lining inside your microvessels. In this article, I want to dig a little deeper into the information we can garner from the results, so you can gain a better understanding of why you should get this scan.
But, first, let's answer an important question…
The glycocalyx is the lining of all our blood vessels, made up of a micro-thin gel. It is the largest organ in the body, protecting the inside walls of our entire circulatory system. If the glycocalyx is compromised and the vessel wall is exposed, this can lead to calcification, plaque buildup, reduced nitric oxide, and proteins leaking.
Early warning signs of declining health due to a damaged glycocalyx are fatigue, cold hands and feet, thinning hair, memory loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, neuropathy, lack of focus, and slow wound healing. Scientific research tells us that
endothelial glycocalyx dysfunction can progress to several diseases/conditions, such as kidney disease, cancer metastasis, dementia, and long-haul COVID-19 complications.
Many researchers consider the endothelial glycocalyx as a first line of defense against vascular diseases. You cannot have healthy vascular walls without a healthy glycocalyx—when the glycocalyx lining is breached, it can leave the endothelium vulnerable to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, initiating the inflammatory response that leads to plaque formation. Other functions of the glycocalyx include the regulation of vascular permeability, fluid balance, and the synthesis of nitric oxide in response to the blood flow. The surface of the glycocalyx helps maintain endothelial function, including arterial elasticity and healthy blood pressure.
GlycoCheck is a noninvasive, under-the-tongue test that shows the live movement of your red blood cells. This device produces a single Microvascular Health Score that reveals the
health of the glycocalyx by measuring several critical parameters of the microvascular system:
• Capillary Density: Gives the capacity of your capillary network to get nutrients to organs and tissue cells. Higher numbers are better.
• Capillary Blood Volume (CBV) Recruitment Capacity: Shows the additional number of functional capillary blood vessels that can be engaged when flow increases. Higher is better.
• CBV Dynamic: When all available capillary blood vessels are engaged at high blood flow levels this tells the maximum functional capacity of the capillary network. Higher is better.
• Perfused Boundary Region (PBR) Flow Corrected: Indicates the level of damage to the endothelial glycocalyx. A lower number indicates a healthier glycocalyx.
• Microvascular Health Score (MVHS): This is your overall score based on capillary density, recruitment capacity, and glycocalyx health. A higher score means better microvascular health.
Lower Microvascular Health Scores are linked to:
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Septic shock
• Inflammatory disorders
• Cancer metastasis
• Long-haul COVID-19 complications
There are many reasons to have a GlycoCheck scan, but I believe these are the most important:
• Knowing the health of your glycocalyx. Recent research indicates that impaired glycocalyx health contributes to loss of microvascular function in conditions and diseases such as diabetes, dementia, cancer metastasis, heart disease, and more.
• Understanding your true vascular health. You may look and even feel healthy on the outside, but inside your microvascular system, a completely different situation could be developing.
• Obtaining valuable information you can give your doctor that will be an asset for your overall care.
• Taking action to repair and protect your microcirculation and change the health of your microvascular system therefore your health.
• Protecting yourself from premature health decline.
• Have peace of mind.
Can You Can Restore, Regenerate, and Protect Your Glycocalyx?
Yes! No matter what your microvascular health score is, you can still improve the health of your vascular system! Clinically proven to repair the damage in your arteries, veins, and microcapillaries is a patented product called Endocalyx Pro. Endocalyx Pro is made up of seven synergistic ingredients from three classes of compounds: polysaccharides (helps restore), amino sugars (helps regenerate), and antioxidants (helps protect). You can restore the health of your endothelial glycocalyx and capillary function with Endocalyx Pro and monitor your progress with GlycoCheck. As the health of your glycocalyx improves, so improves your other health data that makes up your Microvascular Health Score. Without a doubt, lifestyle choices are just as important. Support the health of your glycocalyx by having a healthy lifestyle, reducing stress, exercising regularly, and eating an anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style diet.
If you’re looking to enhance your quality of health/longevity or gain insight into your true cardiovascular potential and risk, then GlycoCheck is the answer. This is valuable information for your Physician to have also. It just might be life-changing information or a wakeup call for better health. GlycoCheck is a very interesting experience to have! See the live movement of your red blood cells as they move through your microcapillaries. The scan is noninvasive and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
For practitioners, the GlycoCheck is not only an objective tool to monitor changes in your patient’s endothelial glycocalyx—it also allows you to monitor the impact of your treatments, and the results are an asset for your overall plan of care for your patient.
It’s not too late to slow or even reverse the breakdown of your glycocalyx. GlycoCheck provides objective data and the solution to a healthy microvascular system that ultimately enhances whole-body health.
Lisa H. Sprague, MSS, PTA, LMT, is a licensed healthcare practitioner with over 35 years of experience. She has been in private practice since 1999 and specializes in frequency-based medicine and advanced wellness technologies. She is the owner of MV Solutions, 5633 Strand Blvd, Suite 311; Naples, FL 34110. Visit www. microvasculartesting.com and www.scienceandartofhealing.com and call 239.821.1223 to learn more. See ad on page 15 >
“Recent research indicates that impaired glycocalyx health contributes to loss of microvascular function in conditions and diseases such as diabetes, dementia, cancer metastasis, heart disease, and more.”
—Lisa
Sprague, MSS, PTA, LMT
By Theresa Edmunds, CHC
“With Robotic Muscle Therapy, after evaluating muscle imbalances, the robotic arm is positioned and applies pressure and vibration, isolating the muscle and allowing the affected area to release and relax. It's like having a highly skilled massage therapist who knows exactly where to press, but with the precision and consistency that only this technology can provide.”
—Theresa Edmunds, CHC
It is a little-known fact that tight muscles put pressure on the skeletal structure which can lead to chronic pain. Tight muscles are often the source of pain, even if your pain is presenting in your joints or spine.
Living with pain isn't just a minor inconvenience—it can make getting through the day a challenge. Driving becomes a test of endurance, working at your desk feels like a marathon, and even sleeping can be a battle, let alone trying to work out or play a sport.
With over six hundred and forty muscles in the body, the concept that contracted muscles contribute to pain is very underrated. Muscles attach to bones and joints. Why would a shortened muscle not contribute to back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain or knee pain? Over time, this pressure can affect joints causing misalignment, strains and nerve pain.
As we age or have injuries, our muscles contract. With this contraction, muscle fibers get shorter and tighter. This is why we often feel as though no amount of stretching seems to help. Once the large muscles of the body are contracted, it becomes very difficult to stretch. Even massage therapy cannot lengthen muscle tissue once it becomes contracted.
Shortened muscles also put pressure on joints and bones, and they can even cause dysfunction within the joint, leading to all kinds of other issues. We often feel pain in a joint or in the spine; what we don’t realize is that the pressure a tight muscle is exerting on the bone is the source of the problem.
Pain can be caused by a variety of factors, such as poor posture, injury, repetitive movement or sedentary lifestyle. Traditional treatments might provide temporary relief, but what if there was a way to target the root cause of the pain and provide lasting relief? That's where Robotic Muscle Therapy comes in.
This innovative computerized technology is able to apply precise pressure and vibration to a specific area of a muscle for a sustained period of time. The muscle then releases its long-held contraction. In this process, tension is relieved and muscle tissue lengthens back to its original state. When this happens, the pressure the muscle is exerting on the skeletal structure is relieved. Joints are no longer under tension, muscles that have been under strain are released and posture improves.
Conventional therapies often treat pain symptoms as opposed to looking for the source of the problem. Often, the pain is presenting in small muscles, the spine or joints, but it is actually a large muscle that is contracted, putting pressure on other areas. So with other therapies, the source of the problem isn’t addressed, which is why people so often have limited relief.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get to the source of the problem instead of treating the symptom? With Robotic Muscle Therapy, after evaluating muscle imbalances, the robotic arm is positioned and applies pressure and vibration, isolating the muscle and allowing the affected area to release and relax. It's like having a highly skilled massage therapist who knows exactly where to press, but with the precision and consistency that only this technology can provide.
This cutting-edge therapy is a noninvasive way to release contracted muscles so you can find relief. Using technology to target the source of the pain, the robotic arm guides your muscles into relaxation.
Whether you're dealing with chronic or acute pain or just looking for a way to relax and rejuvenate, this therapy can help with many issues:
• Muscle Sti ness: You may experience stiffness in your muscles, making it challenging to move your body freely.
• Aches and Pains: Persistent aches and pains can make even simple tasks feel like a major effort.
• Weakness: Strained muscles become weak and can lead to difficulty performing daily activities.
• Tingling or Numbness: Contracted muscles can lead to nerve impingement, causing pain or numbness.
• Referred Pain: Pain that seems to travel to other areas of the body, seemingly unrelated.
The concept of applying pressure to key muscles to allow the skeleton to return to alignment is not well-known, and the ability to lengthen contracted muscles makes Robotic Muscle Therapy unique. It is a step beyond massage, as it creates long-term change, addressing muscle contraction and posture in a way nothing else can.
Why live with pain? Take advantage of this unique therapy. You do not have to be sidelined from your favorite sport or activity. We believe everyone should be able to “Live Pain Free in Paradise”!
“This treatment works! And not just temporarily. Every day between treatments the affected area continued to improve. The difference between this treatment and every other therapy is that you just keep feeling better and better! When I started with Naples Robotic, I limped in. I recently cycled 132 miles and my hip and back were the best they have been in years!”
—Abner Berzon
We offer a complimentary consultation so clients can learn more about this revolutionary technology. We learn about your condition, and you discover whether this therapy can help you. You truly have nothing to lose— except your pain. Theresa Edmunds is a Certified Health Coach and co-owner of Naples Robotic Pain Relief. She is passionate about helping people feel better. To schedule a no-cost consultation or for more information, contact 239.778.6842 or visit naplesroboticpainrelief.com. See ad on page 33 >
By Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT
“Variable motion is not consistent motion, and if your motion is not consistent, you by definition cannot have consistency. After working with thousands of golfers of every level of handicap, I’ve found that this is by far the number-one cause of inconsistency!”
—Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT
It’s no secret that improving your consistency, specifically with irons, is one of the most effective ways to improve your handicap and your overall enjoyment of the game of golf. It’s simple, really: once you start offensively attacking pins opposed to defensively trying to avoid danger and just trying to hit greens, you automatically improve your chances at shaving putting strokes. This is most easily seen during PGA tour TV broadcasts when they pop up on the screen the chances a player will make a putt based (mostly) on the distance the ball is away from the hole.
It’s also no secret that the less consistent we are with our irons, the less confident we are using those irons, which directly correlates with a self-fulfilling prophecy of not being consistent with those irons. This creates a downward spiral of our mental state with our approach shots, which seems to increase the gravitational pull on our ball of the water and bunkers!
Self-Fulfilling
Personally, I suffered from this horribly a few years ago when my longer irons “weren’t cooperating.” If I had a 4 iron in my hand for my approach shot, I was pretty much praying for a chance at staying in bounds, and the icing on the cake would be a decent chance at getting up and down for bogey. During that same time, if I had an 8 or 9 iron in my hand, I had on average a 90% chance of two-putting or less.
During this period of my golfing career, I had spent countless hours and thousands of dollars on every “technique” and “quick fix” I could find on YouTube and the rest of the social media channels. None of them worked and I ultimately succumbed to consistently laying up for a quality chance at getting up and down. The breaking point for me was when my good buddy called me out when teeing off on a 210-yard par 3 when I walked up with an 8 iron in my hand.
I finally had my team video me and analyze the difference between my swings with a short iron vs a long iron. Once I saw for myself what they were seeing, I was even more frustrated because I was breaking one of the most fundamental rules that I actually created! The rule is simple yet so hard to follow, especially when you add the need for more distance into the equation. The rule is this: “The slower you initiate the backswing, the farther the ball will go.”
To put it as simply as possible, when you start your backswing with a quicker, jerky movement, your brain focuses on your hands and arms as the primary movers of the golf club. It should be no surprise that your arms and hands create way more variable motion of your club head than your body does. Variable motion is not consistent motion, and if your motion is not consistent, you by definition cannot have consistency. After working with thousands of golfers of every level of handicap, I’ve found that this is by far the number-one cause of inconsistency!
Next, I’ve found that the second most common cause of inconsistency is due to improper loading of the back leg during the backswing. Out of all the golfers I’ve worked with in SWFL, 99% think that shifting their weight onto the back leg is synonymous with “loading” your back leg. This couldn’t be further from the truth—especially for us mere mortal amateur golfers. We are not the pros playing on TV, so we should not try to mirror what their swing “looks” like.
The easiest way to know if you are truly loading your back leg at the top of your backswing is to first confirm your head did not sway with your movement into the backswing and then attempt to quickly lift your front lead foot on and off the ground. If you can’t do this without shifting your weight even more to your back leg then you have not completely loaded your back leg and you are guilty of primarily weight shifting. Weight shifting without loading always causes at least slight swaying, and it’s close to impossible to have a consistent swing once you introduce swaying into the equation.
All that back story is necessary to make my three simple tips for improving consistency with your long irons clear and actionable.
• Tip 1: Initiate the backswing with your belt buckle, not your hands. Mainly for reasons stated above.
• Tip 2: Make sure you are loading your back leg and not just shifting your weight on it (there is a MAJOR difference!).
• Tip 3: Initiate the movement into your backswing as slowly and smoothly as possible. Exaggerate it. Make it mentally painful because you are initiating the movement so slowly. I can just about guarantee that you will see an objective improvement in your consistency when done properly.
For way more information on this topic, visit BermanGolf.com or search Berman Golf on all the social media out there. Or if you’re ready for some different and way more effective coaching right now call or text me at 239.431.0232 today!
Dr. Jake Berman, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and owner of Berman Golf, where they focus on helping aging golfers increase distance off the tee, shoot more consistently, and play more frequently. If you’re not ready to accept “getting old” as an excusefor a poor golf game, call Dr. Berman at 239.431.0232 to take advantage of a FREE 30-minute taster session!
See ad on page 31 >
Afterwepinpoint YOUR specificproblem, weusethe RX2600Therapeutic ROBOT toadminister gentlepressure in intervals toa specificareaof a muscle.Taking tensionoff andrestoring balance, greatly increasing mobility and relieving pain.
“ Thistherapywas lifechanging forme!I couldbarely walk,wasin constantpainand scheduled forhipsurgery.Icanceledthe surgery after just3 visitsandhavebeen playinggolfandtennispain-free eversince.” -Julie P.,Michigan
By Nina Azwoir, First Vice President of Investments, Wintrust Wealth Management
Despite unprecedented and ever-increasing access to economic and investment data, study after study has shown that the track record of private investors is not encouraging. Moreover, they typically do not realize they underperform the market. In fact, over the 20-year period ending in 2018, the average equity fund investor achieved a 3.88% annualized return, whereas the average S&P 500 Index returned 5.62%. Fixed-income investors fared even worse, realizing an average return of 0.22% compared to 4.55%by Barclays Aggregate Bond Index.
As the chart on the right shows, a $100,000 equity investment made 20 years ago and managed by an average equity investor would have been worth nearly $85,000 less at the end of last year than an S&P 500 index-tracking fund. That same investment, managed by an average fixed-income investor, would have been worth little less than half of what an investment in a Barclays Aggregate Bond Index-tracking fund would have been after 20 years.
The overriding reasons behind investors’ underperformance are behavioral biases that cause them to act on emotion and deep-seated misperceptions about investment risk.
Behavioral biases relate to how we process information to reach decisions and our preferences. They can affect all types of decision-making but have particular implications about money and investing.
These biases tend to sit deep within our psyche and may serve us well in certain circumstances. However, investing often leads us to move into market tops and bail out at market lows. These biases, combined with common misunderstandings about investment risk, can be thought of as five categories of destructive investment tendencies that private investors face, as shown in the graphic on the right.
At Wintrust Wealth Management, we see evidence of these tendencies in our clients’ thinking all the time. A desire to remove asset classes perceived to be risky or unfamiliar (real estate, international equities, etc.) from their portfolios that, in fact, actually increases volatility. A preference for a particular asset class or investment vehicle based on the most recent year’s performance. A request to wait on putting cash to work until the (presumed) impending market correction comes. They are deep-seated in many and adversely affect the ability to realize long-term financial goals.
To reduce the influence of these destructive tendencies, investors must first understand what they are and how they influence their thinking.
Psychological studies have shown that we all tend to have unwarranted confidence in our decision-making. This trait appears universal, affecting most aspects of our lives. Researchers have asked people to rate their own abilities, for
example, in driving, relative to others and found that most people rate themselves in the top third of the population. Few people rate their abilities as below average, although by definition, 50% of all drivers are below average. Many studies—of company CEOs, doctors, lawyers, students, and doctors’ patients—have also found that these individuals tend to overrate the accuracy of their views of the future.
Overconfidence is linked to the issue of c ontrol, with overconfident investors believing they exercise more control over their investments than they do. In one study, affluent investors reported that their stock-picking skills were critical to portfolio performance. In reality, they were unduly optimistic about the performance of the shares they chose and underestimated the effect of the overall market on their portfolio’s performance. In this simple way, investors overestimate their abilities and overlook broader factors influencing their investments.
Overconfidence has direct implications for investing, which can be complex and involve forecasts of the future. This is evident when investors overestimate their ability to identify winning investments. Traditional financial theory suggests holding diversified portfolios so that risk is not concentrated in any particular area. A misguided conviction can weigh against this advice, with investors or their advisers “sure” of the promising prospects of a given investment, causing them to believe that diversification is, therefore, unnecessary.
Overconfidence also tends to produce stubborn investing. This can be seen in “conservatism bias,” which describes the idea of the decision maker clinging to an initial judgment despite new, contradictory information.
A third way overconfidence adversely affects investing decisions is the tendency to trade too frequently, often with a negative effect on returns.
A study of U.S. investors with retail brokerage accounts found that more active traders earned the lowest returns. The table to the right shows the results for the most and least active traders. For the average investor switching from one stock to another, the stock bought underperformed the stock sold by approximately 3.0% over the following year. Whatever insight the traders think they have, they appear to overestimate its value in investment decisions.
“The implication that investor under-performance has for longterm wealth accumulation is staggering.”
—Nina Azwoir
Underlying this overconfidence is a number of attitudes investors tend to hold that they should be mindful of. Foremost is a characteristic known as ‘self-attribution bias.’ In essence, this means that individuals faced with a positive outcome following a decision will view that outcome as a reflection of their ability and skill. However, when faced with a negative outcome, this is attributed to bad luck or misfortune. This bias gets in the way of the feedback process as decision-makers block out negative feedback and miss the opportunity to improve future decisions.
Similarly, hindsight bias fuels overconfidence. The statement “I knew the whole time this would happen” shows that we have an explanation for everything after the fact. This hindsight bias keeps us from learning from our mistakes. Even if prices rise, we keep buying. “What the heck, I’ll buy it again because it’s cheaper than last time,” we say. In other words, the typical private investor buys high and sells low—wasting a lot of money in the long term.
Additionally, confirmation bias, which is the phenomenon of supporting our own opinions with selective information, fuels overconfidence. Investors seek confirmation for their assumptions. They avoid critical opinions and reports, reading only those articles that put their decision in a positive light. This is also common in the media. Business journalists will report on innovative, creative companies that are all making a profit in bull markets. However, they rarely point out that not all companies using those same criteria succeed, as it would undermine the reporting narrative. We cannot avoid reading the headlines about price gains and booming markets or the multitude of success stories, and, unfortunately, these stories attract the interest of many amateur investors.
Inertia is the failure to act. A related issue is a tendency for emotions to sway investors from a course of action they have committed to (i.e., having second thoughts). The desire to avoid regret is one driver of these behaviors. Inertia can act as a barrier to effective financial planning, stopping investors from saving and making necessary changes to their portfolios. A fundamental uncertainty or confusion about how to proceed lies at the heart of inertia. For example, if an investor is considering changing their portfolio but lacks
certainty about the merits of taking action, they may choose the most convenient path—wait and see. In this pattern of behavior, so common in many aspects of our daily lives, the tendency to procrastinate dominates financial decisions. Another driver of inertia is the so-called “disposition effect” associated with our natural aversion to loss. Behavioral finance suggests investors are more sensitive to loss than to risk and return. Some estimates suggest that people weigh losses more than twice as heavily as potential gains. For example, most people require an even (50/50) chance of an increase of $5,000 in a gamble to offset an even chance of a loss of $2,000 before they find it attractive. The idea of loss aversion also includes the finding that people try to avoid locking in a loss. Consider an investment bought for $10,000, which rises quickly to $15,000. Investors are often tempted to sell to lock in the profit. In contrast, if the investment drops to $5,000, investors tend to hold it to avoid locking in the loss. The idea of a loss is so painful that investors tend to delay recognizing it. More generally, investors with losing positions show a strong desire to get back to break even. This means investors show highly risk-averse behavior when facing a profit (selling and locking in the sure gain) and more risk-tolerant or risk-seeking behavior when facing a loss (continuing to hold the investment and hoping its price rises again).
Research done to test this idea using data from a U.S. retail brokerage found that investors were roughly 50% more likely to sell a winning position than a losing position, even though tax regulations make it beneficial to defer locking in gains for as long as possible while crystallizing tax losses as early as possible. It also found that the tendency to sell winners and hold losers significantly harmed investment returns.
Behavioral finance research suggests that investors sometimes struggle to apply the concept of portfolio diversification in practice. Evidence suggests that investors use “naïve” rules of thumb for portfolio construction in the absence of better information. One such rule has been dubbed the 1/n approach, where investors allocate equally to the range of available asset classes or funds (“n” stands for the number of options available). This approach ignores the specific risk-return characteristics of the investments and the relationships between them.
Another common example of naïve diversification is the tendency for some investors to hold extreme portfolio allocations. On the one hand are aggressive investors who only hold all-equity portfolios. On the other hand are ultra-conservative investors who are reluctant to hold anything other than bonds. Many such investors need the help of an investment professional to ensure a balance of risk and return in portfolios.
Naïve diversification also occurs when investors apply their well-documented preference to invest in familiar assets, which they often mistakenly associate familiarity with low risk. This “home bias” manifests itself in high portfolio weights in assets from an investor’s own country. They are more familiar with and confident about local investment opportunities, so even though it is much easier than in the past to diversify investments across geographies, investors tend to go with what they know and can easily understand. In so doing, they miss out on important diversification opportunities that can not only lower risk but improve returns. For more on home bias and how to avoid it, see our paper, An International Investing Primer, from April 2015.
Home bias also is apparent in the tendency of investors to buy shares in the companies they work for. In doing so, investors may become over-allocated to their company’s stock and the unsystematic risks that come from being under-diversified. Individuals over-allocated to company stock risk having their assets and their income significantly reduced should the company go through a period of financial difficulty.
You likely did not build your own house. You likely do not make your own clothes, practice medicine on yourself, or serve as your own attorney. You almost certainly did not build your own car. The time, skill, and expertise required to do so is prohibitive for most. Similarly, in the complex world of investment management, doing it yourself often ends up being costly, time-consuming, and ineffective. A professional Financial Advisor brings expertise to the table (to combat naïve diversification), objectivity (to protect against myopia, inertia, and irrational decision-making), and experience (to guard against overconfidence). However, for a relationship with a professional to function best,
investors need to recognize their own biases when they rear their heads. To that end, here are some investing axioms to bear in mind (see inset) and suggestions for topics to discuss with your Advisor.
Understand that the best way to avoid the pitfalls of human emotion is to have trading rules. Those might include selling if a stock drops a certain percentage, not buying a stock after it rises a certain percentage, and not selling a position until a certain amount of time has elapsed. Dollar-cost averaging is another good way to reduce regret—and make your head clearer for smart investing.
In terms of rebalancing, using a regular schedule for guiding decisions can help investors avoid being swayed by current market conditions, the recent performance of a “hot” investment, or other fads. To weed out home bias, discuss different investing strategies than you typically use with your advisor and then consider employing those that are appropriate for meeting your unique financial goals. Finally, realize that if you find a trend, it is likely that the market identified and exploited it long before you. Last year’s winners are often this year’s losers.
Nina Azwoir, First Vice President of Investments, Wintrust Wealth Management. © Morningstar 2020. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission. This information may answer some questions but is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the topic. In addition, such information should not be relied upon as the only source of information, competent tax and legal advice should always be obtained. Securities, insurance products, financial planning, and investment management services offered through Wintrust Investments, LLC (Member FINRA/ SIPC), founded in 1931. Trust and asset management services offered by The Chicago Trust Company, N.A. and Great Lakes Advisors, LLC, respectively. Investment products such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds are: NOT FDIC INSURED | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT A DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. See ad on Back Cover >
“The worst enemy of the investor is most likely himself.”
—Benjamin Graham
By Susie Bagwell
T“What
happens when daily nutrient requirements aren’t met? Existing conditions can worsen. Bone, cardiovascular, and metabolic health can be threatened, among other health concerns. Hormones can also become imbalanced.”
—Susie Bagwell
hink ofyour healthlike Jenga blocks— if you remove the foundation, it all topples. Nutrition, digestion, movement, and metabolism impact all other aspects of your health and well-being. These wellness principles are the same lifestyle factors that impact overall health.
The key to healthy aging, then, is understanding these factors and then making choices to support them. Sadly, our current lifestyle has put good nutrition at the opposite end of proactive medical care. Modern science has engineered crops for yield and flavor; however, this has come at the cost of removing the valuable nutrients we all need.
Everyone also has different nutritional needs. This may have to do with age, gender, pregnancy, and other factors. In general, studies show that most American adults do not get the right amount of essential vitamins and minerals like vitamins D and E, magnesium, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, and even protein.
What happens when daily nutrient requirements aren’t met? Existing conditions can worsen. Bone, cardiovascular, and metabolic health can be threatened, among other health concerns. Hormones can also become imbalanced.
Let’s look at bolstering these foundational blocks so they don’t fall out! Obviously, there’s no quick fix to our food supply chains. doTERRA, known for their Certified Pure Tested Grade essential oils, has come up with some innovative ways to
give us the support we need. For example, their omega-3 supplement in the Lifelong Vitality package is combined with essential oils. The xeO Mega supplement (or vegan veo Mega) with essential oils provides antioxidants, supports healthy cellular responses and immune function, and has digestive calming effects. It provides a wide range of omega-3 fatty acids from marine and plant sources to help maintain a healthy balance of these vital nutrients. Astaxanthin provides the body with antioxidants. This supplement also provides the body with natural sources of vitamin D and E.*
What about all those vitamins and minerals? doTERRA’s Microplex VMz provides 22 essential vitamins and minerals to support normal growth, function, and maintenance of cells. This combination supports healthy metabolism and cellular energy.*
As the final piece of this incredible system for lifelong vitality, doTERRA’s antioxidant and cellular support blend is called Apha CRS. This supplement supports healthy cell function by protecting cellular DNA. Promotes cellular energy by supporting mitochondrial and healthy cellular immune function health, mental clarity, and brain function.*
We might well live into our 70s, 80s, 90s, or longer, but without a measure of good health, we might not enjoy those years. Many health markers begin to decline as early as our 20s. So what can we look at in our metabolic health to improve our healthspan, which is so much more than lifespan?
Metabolic health obstacles include maturing fat cells, cellular integrity, blood sugar spikes (in the normal range), and inferior supplements. How can we close the gap? New products that support molecules like NAD and NAD+, carbohydrate absorption, and collagen are now available. Proper supplementation is the key.*
doTERRA’s MetaPWR products support these needs. For instance, the Metabolic Blend designed for internal use inhibits fat cell maturation and helps curb cravings. The blend is available in a variety of delivery systems to suit everyone: an essential oil blend, a beadlet, a gelcap, or gum.*
The MetaPWR Assist product naturally reduces the absorption of simple carbohydrates and helps decrease post-meal glucose spikes. It also supports healthy blood sugar responses and can help stabilize energy levels throughout the day.*
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body—did you know there are 28 types of collagen in our bodies? Collagen is a key component of connective tissues that make up tendons, ligaments, skin, muscles, and other body parts.
dōTERRA collagen is sourced from sustainably harvested cold-water marine fish in Italy. This MetaPWR Advantage is 12 times more absorbable (or bioavailable) than other collagen products. Also, most collagen-replacing products only feature one or two collagen tripeptide types. MetaPWR Advantage contains nine unique collagen types.
Of course, there’s more. Movement is vital, so we must get out and exercise. Managing stress is also key. In the end, getting the foundation right is the best chance we have to improve our healthspan, not just our lifespan.
doTERRA’s Lifelong Vitality and MetaPWR supplements are available from your local dōTERRA Wellness Advocate or Peter and Susie Bagwell in Fort Myers, FL.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Susie Bagwell is a dōTERRA Wellness advocate and has over 20 years of experience with essential oils. She is a former massage therapist and teaches classes throughout the area at schools, hospitals, and wellness centers. She can also be found at various farmers' markets throughout Southwest Florida, where she offers discounted wellness packages. To schedule a wellness consultation, call or text 586.604.3500 or visit www.iloveoils. com. See ad on page 27 >
By Dr. Josephine Perez, DMD
We have all been there with one loved one or another—our friends, parents, grandparents, partners, even our children. “I can’t sleep with your snoring!”
Some are “truck driver” snorers, some are “chainsaw” snorers. And yes, I snore! But my husband says it’s more of a purrrrr (bless his heart). All joking aside, though, sometimes snoring can be scary and dangerous. It is a sign of a problem. Our brain is sending signals that we need more oxygen. So instead of restorative (parasympathetic) sleep, we are in fight-or-flight mode (sympathetic) all night long. No wonder so many of us are so tired all the time.
If we are not receiving oxygen, our whole body is compromised. Studies show that chronic snoring leads to high blood pressure, metabolic disorders, and an increased incidence of cavities. We know that mouth breathing affects our oral health negatively, but thanks to the FOTONA Lightwalker, we can help reduce and potentially eliminate the incidence of most snoring.
Snoring affects 67% of the population, and 80% of snorers have some type of sleep disorder breathing (SDB). Obvious contributing factors include being overweight, sinus problems, sleep posture, alcohol consumption, and even menopause. Snoring occurs when air is not able to move freely through the nose and mouth during sleep. This is due to the narrowing of the airway because of the tissue laxity, and the eventual constriction of the airway causes the tissues to vibrate and make an audible sound. The medical community has traditionally focused on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity hypoventilation; several treatments have helped to a degree but can be costly, noisy, extremely uncomfortable, and can permanently change a person’s bite and cause a lifetime of TMJ problems. This new laser treatment may help these patients. Dentists are uniquely suited to treat problems with airway management.
The Nightlase snoring treatment is a fast, painless, non-invasive, no downtime procedure that can increase the quality of sleep and
ultimately the quality of life. Laser energy is used to gently heat the tissues of the airway, creating a tightening effect that helps to keep the airway open while also forming new collagen within the mucosa of the oropharynx, soft palate, and uvula. Nightlase requires no anesthesia, is quick and comfortable, and a patient can resume daily routines immediately afterward. This laser treatment helps patients sleep better and breathe better through the nose. Which in turn shows improvement in important markers, e.g., VO2 max, nitric oxide levels, and heart rate variability.
Fotona’s Nightlase anti-snoring laser treatment has been gaining worldwide recognition for its safety and efficacy.
A newly published article by Dr. Valerie Picavet, et al. in the prestigious European Archives of OtoRhino-Laryngology presents the data from a recent study that assessed the safety and efficacy of the minimally invasive NightLase therapy, comparing the results with a placebo treatment. The authors of the study concluded:
“NightLase treatment significantly reduces snoring compared to many sham treatments. Its efficacy is similar to that achieved with other more aggressive treatments. Taking into account the minimal invasiveness of NightLase, this procedure seems to represent a valuable, low-risk treatment option for primary snoring/OSAS.”
It should also be noted that the treatment was well tolerated by patients, with no local anesthesia required.
During the Nightlase treatment, laser light gently heats the tissues, causing tightening. It is gentle enough to be used in the sensitive tissues inside the mouth but strong enough to provide clinically efficacious heating. Research has shown that Nightlase reduces and attenuates snoring and provides an effective, non-invasive way to lessen the effects of sleep apnea.
Some patients will notice mild warmth and a tingling sensation. A minimum of three treatments is standard protocol, each 21 days apart. Some patients will notice a change with only the first treatment; others won’t notice any change until the second or third treatment, depending on the amount of tissue and its laxity. Everyone is different. Most patients return 1–2 times a year because they want to maintain their results.
Nightlase uses two different wavelengths, Nd:YAG and Er:YAG, to treat the obstructed tissues. This state-of-the-art technology is combined into one system: The Fotona Lightwalker Laser. We are thrilled to announce that our new Lightwalker (AKA Wally) can improve quality sleep and in some cases eliminate snoring. And there’s more good news! The Fotona Lightwalker can also reduce and improve wrinkles, soften skin tone, plump lips, and naturally tighten and tone skin for an anti-aging facial rejuvenation that will enhance a healthy smile without fillers or toxins.
A biological dentist seeks the safest, least toxic, and most conservative way to accomplish modern dentistry that is safe, functional, durable, and esthetic. It is interesting to note that the term “alternative medicine” refers to a new holistic, integrative, and functional approach to health, yet it has been in existence for thousands of years, and “modern medicine” is only about 100 years old.
Most people choose alternative medicine because of a medical condition that has not been resolved. Others are well versed in holistic ways and understand and live by it. We have known for quite a long time that there is a mouth–body connection, and as a biological dentist, my mantra continues to be A Healthy Mouth is a Healthy Body and a Healthy Life!
“Snoring affects 67% of the population, and 80% of snorers have some type of sleep disorder breathing. Obvious contributing factors include being overweight, sinus problems, sleep posture, alcohol consumption, and even menopause.”
—Dr. Josephine Perez, DMD
Dr. Josephine Perez, DMD, has been practicing dentistry for 30 years. She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dentistry in Boston and interned at New Orleans Coast Guard/Navy Base. Her holistic approach to dentistry encompasses each person’s unique and entire (or whole—holistic) state of physical and emotional well-being. The ability to maintain health through preventive measures and treatments of oral disease is her priority. Dr. Perez focuses on the underlying condition, rather than only treating the symptoms. She tests for biocompatibility to find pathways to reduce inflammation and apply biocompatible and biomimetic materials, supplements, essential oils to restore and strengthen the oral cavity and ultimately, the whole body. After decades of restoring and transforming smiles, Dr. Perez has integrated total wellness into her oral health enhancement practice—a revolutionary style of dentistry. Visit Pure Dental in Naples at 4444 Tamiami Trail N, Ste. 6–7, call 239.692.9623 or go to puredentalnaples.com. See ad on page 31 >
By Agnes Daddona, Intuitive Counseling
Haveyou ever felt a deep yearning for a life overflowing with abundance—not just material wealth but a richness in love, purpose, and well-being? This longing is a beautiful sign that your soul is ready to bloom. But sometimes, the path to abundance feels shrouded in mist, the destination unclear.
The truth is, abundance isn’t a far-off utopia; it’s a state of being that blossoms when we nurture our inner gardens. It’s about aligning with the flow of the universe, where our desires and our deepest selves harmonize. This journey starts with a powerful blend of healing, mindfulness, and spiritual exploration.
Many of us carry hidden emotional baggage— limiting beliefs, past hurts, and self-doubt—that act as weeds, choking the fertile ground of our potential. Healing is the first step toward clearing these obstacles. By acknowledging these blocks, we can begin to understand their root causes.
Once we’ve loosened the soil and cleared the weeds, it’s time to plant the seeds of our desires. Mindfulness is a powerful tool for this step. Through practices like meditation, journaling, and self-reflection, we cultivate present-moment awareness. This allows us to tune into our inner guidance, identify what truly nourishes us, and release the need to control outcomes.
Just as a gardener uses diverse tools to enrich the soil, we can turn to a variety of spiritual practices to nurture our inner landscape. Here are some powerful tools that I can guide you through:
• Intuitive Readings: With my honed intuition, I can shed light on your unique energetic blueprint, revealing hidden talents and soul potential and illuminating the path toward a beautiful future.
•Healing Modalities and Therapies: Spiritual therapy, hypnotherapy, and energy work can help release past traumas, limiting beliefs, and emotional blockages hindering your flow.
•Chakra Cleansing with Sound and Color Therapy: This holistic approach can help clear stagnant energy within your chakras, allowing you to tap into your full potential and attract what you truly desire.
•Past Life Regression Therapy: Exploring past lives can unveil patterns and beliefs affecting your present reality. Releasing energetic ties from the past can pave the way for a more abundant future.
These practices are not quick fixes; they are part of a holistic approach toward self-discovery and transformation. I act as a skilled guide, walking alongside you as you cultivate a fertile inner ground where abundance can flourish.
With clear intention, a healed emotional landscape, and the fertile soil of spiritual practices, it’s time to nurture your desires. Manifestation isn’t about forcing the universe to bend to your will; it’s about aligning yourself with the natural flow of abundance. By setting clear intentions, taking inspired action, and fostering an attitude of gratitude, you co-create abundance with the universe.
Abundance isn’t just about financial security; it’s a multi-faceted tapestry woven from vibrant threads of health, joy, fulfilling relationships, and a deep sense of purpose. It’s living a life aligned with your authentic self, where you feel empowered to contribute your unique gifts to the world. Let me be the bridge—a skilled guide who can help you embark on this transformative journey. Through a combination of healing modalities, mindfulness practices, and spiritual exploration, I can empower you to:
•Uncover and Release Blocks: identify and release limiting beliefs and emotional baggage holding you back.
•Embrace Mindfulness: Develop presentmoment awareness to guide your decisions and connect with your inner wisdom.
•Activate Your Intuition: Learn to trust your inner knowing and navigate life’s path with greater clarity.
•Cultivate Gratitude: Develop an attitude of gratitude that attracts even more abundance into your life.
This path toward abundance isn’t always linear. There will be times when shadows resurface and moments when doubt whispers in your ear. However, with a commitment to growth and support, you can learn to navigate these challenges with grace.
Remember, abundance isn’t a destination; it’s a journey of continuous growth and self-discovery. As you cultivate fertile soil within, you become a magnet for abundance in all its forms. Are you ready to blossom where you’re planted?
As you embark on your journey to cultivate abundance, I would like to extend you a helping hand, to guide and support you every step of the way. Through my readings, healing sessions, workshops, and meditations, I offer transformative tools and guidance to help you unlock your potential and manifest abundance in all areas of your life. Whether you seek to break free from limiting beliefs, cultivate a mindset of gratitude, or align with your deepest desires, my services are designed to empower you to live a life of joy, fulfillment, and abundance. Together, let us embark on this journey toward abundance, where you can awaken to the infinite possibilities within you and create the life you truly desire. Let us make abundance not just a destination but a way of life—a way of being rooted in gratitude, joy, and love.
Agnes Daddona, MA, Intuitive Counseling, is one of New England’s best Psychic/Mediums and Spiritual Healers. The gift of intuition runs in her family for generations. For over 20 years, Agnes has worked with thousands of people worldwide through Psychic Readings, Mediumship, Channeling Angels, Counseling, Healing, and Teaching in English and Polish. Agnes has transformed many people’s lives to meet their dreams. She continues to solve the most challenging issues when no one else can help.To book your Intuitive Reading, contact Agnes at www.AgnesDaddona.com, email atagnes@IntuitiveCounselingllc.com, or call 860.941.2667.
“Through practices like meditation, journaling, and self-reflection, we cultivate present-moment awareness. This allows us to tune into our inner guidance, identify what truly nourishes us, and release the need to control outcomes.”
—Agnes Daddona
By Denise A. Pancyrz, CHN, DSSTM
“Exercise will help lower glucose levels; this is a great start…. A sedentary life is just as bad as smoking. Combining a healthy diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques with good sleep can also help reduce anxiety and depression.”
—Denise A. Pancyrz
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose is too high. Chronic high glucose is tied to insulin resistance, which contributes to weight gain.
Approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults are considered overweight or obese. Its insulin resistance is linked to prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other disorders referred to as metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of disorders: obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides), and hyperglycemia (high glucose).
Chronic low-grade inflammation can impede improvement or worsen these issues, including arthritis. Chronic inflammation can occur in response to toxins and/or an excess of fat cells, especially in the belly. Within arteries, it can contribute to the buildup of plaque, which can reduce blood flow, form clots, and can be the cause of heart attack and stroke.
As insulin resistance worsens, it becomes difficult to efficiently convert sugars, and glucose increases. High glucose damages blood vessels, affecting the kidneys, eyes, brain health (Alzheimer’s and dementia), heart, and liver.
Weight gain and obesity are a foundation for incurring health issues. Insulin and glucose balance is affected when the pancreas tries to provide additional insulin to lower glucose. Over time, too much insulin in your system contributes to weight gain, and too much sugar in the bloodstream contributes to chronic inflammation, which impedes healing.
Medication can help reduce glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Lifestyle changes offer the biggest impact. But why is it that lifestyle changes don’t seem to help enough? Because we like a quick fix. It takes years to impair health. Therefore, it can take years to repair your health. Lifestyle changes are the steps you take to adjust the food and beverages you consume on your health journey. Your “cheat” days should come after you have made substantial changes. This is the time to think of being in a “healing” mode. It takes time to heal.
Exercise will help lower glucose levels; this is a great start. It also helps get oxygen throughout the body and gets your digestive tract moving. A sedentary life is just as bad as smoking. Combining a
healthy diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques with good sleep can also help reduce anxiety and depression. Improved emotions have a direct impact on wanting to make changes.
You can be tested for an inflammation marker through blood or hair analysis. An hs-CRP blood test can measure C-reactive protein. I can personally attest to lifestyle changes reducing inflammation. At my worst, my result was 19. Above 10 can indicate inflammation. I was able to reduce it to below 1.0, which is ideal.
A specific hair analysis test can offer inflammation specific to the digestive tract. Combine this test with food sensitivities, and we now have a real opportunity to learn what is causing issues specific to you and set the course for improvement.
Some improvements can be seen quickly, such as a reduction in glucose levels. That’s just the start of your health journey to reducing inflammation. In addition to improving glucose, I hear from clients who have seen improvement in arthritis and gut issues. That’s because your overall metabolism benefits from coordinated lifestyle changes.
For anyone that believes lifestyle changes are secondary, please reconsider. Diabetic medications cannot cure diabetes. Diets are temporary ways of reducing glucose. It’s a serious look at your lifestyle that can offer long-term success.
Keep in mind that while we have been taught that type 2 diabetes is referred to as a disease, it’s actually a symptom of something larger.
Denise A. Pancyrz, CHN, DSS™ is a Diabetes Reversal and Holistic Lifestyle Coach, speaker, and best-selling author of The Virgin Diabetic, Reverse the Effects of Type 2 Diabetes, Reduce Medication, and Improve Your Glucose Levels, available on Amazon. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Denise was prescribed four daily insulin shots along with oral medication for diabetes and heart disease. This protocol helped to bring her glucose levels down; however, she did not feel as healthy and vibrant as expected. After changing her protocol by learning to rest and preserve her pancreas, she was able to eliminate all medication and insulin, regaining her energy. Visit ReverseMyDiabetes.net for coaching and training information, to book a free consultation, or to set up a speaking event. Contact Denise by calling 888.848.1763, or email her at Denise@ReverseMyDiabetes.net. See ad on page 13 >
Have you ever thought about how amazing and intricate the human body really is? How our hearts beat, how our cells communicate, how all of the physiological things happen minute by minute that we have no conscious knowledge of or control over. In fact, these all important functions are withdrawn from the domain of our conscious mind by design. Can you imagine if you actually had to think about making sure your heart beat regularly?
But even though many of these cellular and physiological processes happen beyond our control, there are other processes that we do have control over. Most people believe they have no power over the health of their body and whether or not they end up with a disease. Most think it’s genetic or worse, just fate. Few sick people have any idea how much they can do for themselves.
There is an old saying that everyone is a “fool or his own physician at 40.” Every function of your body is governed by your conscious and subconscious mind. Before you can move a muscle, your brain directs your body to move. Your subconscious mind keeps all of your vital processes working during the day and while sleeping. Therefore, it makes sense that the mind controls all of the bodily functions including new cell growth, metabolism, replacing old tissue, and eliminating dead or diseased cells.
What image are you holding in your mind? Is it one of sickness or fear? Then you will reproduce that in your physical reality. If you think your physical organs hold the power, then you depend on them and make yourself a slave to your body. When an organ ceases to function properly, the common solution is to “fix” the organ, when the part that needs “fixing” is your mind. When anything seems wrong with the functioning of your body, the place to investigate is your subconscious mind. Your stomach, heart, liver, or any other organ has no intelligence of its own. Your muscles are not selfacting. Look at what happens to an Alzheimer’s patient once most of the brain function is lost, they forget how to eat, speak, and how to move. All disease is due to the belief that the body is the master and that it can become diseased without the consent of the mind. If you believe your mind has the power over your body, you can destroy all fear of disease, and therefore, all disease.
Dr. Diane Hayden, PhD, is an entrepreneur, mindset warrior, perspective shifter, and unshakable optimist. She holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Maryland. She is a professional speaker and travels nationally to present spiritual and personal development workshops.
ACUPUNCTURE/ TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
Richard Hiler
Feel Amazing Institute Naples • 239.330.1000 sta @feelamazing.com naplesneurodoc.com
Feel Amazing Spine and Joint Institute focuses on Neuropathy solutions for legs, feet and hands, and Spinal Decompression to relieve chronic or severe back and neck pain. Call for a free telephone consultation with a Chiropractic Neurologist or for a free recorded webinar.
Josephine Perez, DMD Naples, FL • 239.692.9623 puredentalnaples.com
Dr. Josephine Perez, DMD, has been practicing dentistry for 29 years. She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dentistry in Boston and interned at New Orleans Coast Guard/ Navy Base. Her holistic approach to dentistry encompasses each person’s unique and entire (or whole, therefore holistic) state of physical and emotional well-being. The ability to maintain health through preventive measures and treatments of oral disease is her priority. Dr. Perez focuses on the underlying condition, rather than only treating the symptoms. She tests for biocompatibility to find pathways to reduce inflammation.
BODYWORK/ CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN/MASSAGE THERAPY/PHYSICAL THERAPY
Jake Berman, PT, DPT Berman Physical Therapy Naples, FL • 239.431.0232
Drberman@bermanpt.com Bermanpt.com
Most people think pain is a standard part of the aging process. We help people age 50+ avoid surgery and pain pills so they can keep active, mobile, and living their best life!
Theresa Edmunds, CHC
Naples Robotic Pain Relief Naples, FL • 239.778.6842 theresa@naplesroboticpainrelief.com naplesroboticpainrelief.com
Educating clients about all aspects of natural health. Truly healthy food, living chemical-free and detoxing, healthy home, emotional well-being, reducing stress, movement, supplements/homeopathy. Helping you recover, enhance, and protect your health. Providing the foundation you need to live your best life full of energy and vitality.
Richard Hiler
Feel Amazing Institute Naples • 239.330.1000 sta @feelamazing.com naplesneurodoc.com
Feel Amazing Spine and Joint Institute focuses on Neuropathy solutions for legs, feet, and hands, and Spinal Decompression to relieve chronic or severe back and neck pain. Call for a free telephone consultation with a Chiropractic Neurologist or for a free recorded webinar.
Julie Meer
Dorn Pain Academy LLC Naples, FL • 239.315.1975
juliemeer@dornacadintl.com dornacadintl.com
Pain relief for all ages through intuitive touch and unique global modalities including (USA) Meer Method®, (Australian) Spinal Flow®, (German) Dorn Method. There is an innate instinct and intellegence inside every human body to restore, reduce and revise itself of pain or discomfort. We just need to help it along!
Nina Azwoir
Wintrust Wealth Management Naples, FL • 239.697.5204 nazwoir@wintrustwealth.com nazwoir.wintrustwealth.com
Nina Azwoir is a licensed Financial Advisor with over 17 years of industry experience in the realm of wealth management, financial planning, and retirement solutions. Nina has the knowledge and perspective to help keep her clients and their financial future on a steady course as they navigate through life and retirement. Her highest priority is her clients and their families. Reach out to Nina for your complimentary financial plan.
I Love Oils, Inc.
Fort Myers, FL • 586.604.3500
susie@iloveoils.com iloveoils.com
Susie Bagwell has been using essential oils for over 20 years and helps her customers with cutting edge natural solutions. Her “Smell ’em Wear ’em Drink ’em” slogan applies to more than just certified pure essential oils. Her dōTERRA brand products also include bioavailable supplements and exclusive home care products.
Jenni Berman, PA-C, CPT, CNS
Berman Health and Wellness
Naples, FL • 239.431.0232
bermanpt.com/wellness
Berman Health and Wellness is a Functional Medicine Center that helps individuals reach their goal weight and optimize their gut health, while avoiding needless medications and achieving the highest quality of life imaginable. Our goal is to evaluate the metabolism, gut health, and bloodwork to optimizeeach aspect of the client.
Peg Doyle
Wellness and You Naples FL • 508.359.6804 peg@wellnessandyou.com wellnessandyou.com
As a nationally certified holistic health coach for 20+ years, I help mature women reclaim their energy and achieve lifelong wellness. I provide a customized, non-judgmental nutrition and lifestyle program using proven research based principles that lead to lasting results. Virtual and in person options are available. Trusted and confidential.
Theresa Edmunds, CHC Naples, FL • 239.778.6842 theresa@naplesroboticpainrelief.com naplesroboticpainrelief.com
Educating clients about all aspects of natural health. Truly healthy food, living chemical-free and detoxing, healthy home, emotional well-being, reducing stress, movement, supplements/homeopathy. Helping you recover, enhance, and protect your health. Providing the foundation you need to live your best life full of energy and vitality.
Denise A. Pancyrz, CHN, DSS™ CuraVida Wellness Solutions Marco Island, FL • 877.287.2843 denise@mycuravida.com MyCuraVida.com
The conventional approach to managing type 2 diabetes long term is not effective. Holistic lifestyle coaching helps to reverse the effects of diabetes, guiding you away from counting carbs and diets and leading you to recognize factors that affect your glucose. Lower your A1c, stabilize glucose levels, increase your energy, and lose weight naturally.
Peg Doyle Wellness and You Naples, FL • 508.359.6804
peg@wellnessandyou.com wellnessandyou.com
As a nationally certified holistic health coach for 20+ years, I help mature women reclaim their energy and achieve lifelong wellness. I provide a customized, non-judgmental nutrition and lifestyle program using proven research based principles that lead to lasting results. Virtual and in-person options are available. Trusted and confidential.
Kathleen D'Orsi, LCSW, BHSP
Naples, FL. • 732.672.5069 kdorsi@comcast.net Kathleendorsi.com
Kathleen is a licensed psychotherapist who provides unique and highly specialized Energy Healing. This service complements traditional medical and psychological treatment. Kathleen works with your own Human Design Chart to improve spiritual and personal development.
Dayana Infante
Celestial Elevation
Health and Wellness
Naples, FL and Virtual • 239.272.0438 celestialelevationglobal@gmail.com celestialelevation.com
Ready to awaken your divine blueprint? I specialize in helping people shift physical and emotional patterns, activate natural health, and achieve higher consciousness by working directly with the Soul through Quantum Energy Work. Learn to reframe emotions and behaviors so you can achieve optimum peace and well-being.
Lisa H. Sprague MSS, PTA, LMT MV Solutions
Science & Art of Healing
Naples, FL • 239.821.1223 mvSolutions.pro scienceandartofhealing.com
Healing is voltage, and life is in the blood! Naples GlycoCheck testing site measures and analyzes your microvascular health. Unhealthy microvascular health is a precursor to several serious diseases. Know your score—it’s important! Discover powerful new approaches to optimize your health and well-being from the cellular level with redox signaling, frequency, and more.
Zel Rau—Owner/Operator
Energy Spa
Naples FL • 219.381.9777
bekind111@yahoo.com ZelRau.com/book-online
Zel is a Certified Energy Work Practitioner with a profoundly rooted energy background. At the Energy Spa, Zel offers other energy work modalities such as Energy Field Tuning/Clearing, Bio-Well Energy Scans, Crystal Light Therapy, and more. Receiving this type of work can help with many issues we deal with today. Zel offers a 30-minute complimentary session to better learn about her services.
Susie Bagwell
I Love Oils, Inc.
Fort Myers, FL • 586.604.3500
susie@iloveoils.com iloveoils.com
Susie Bagwell has been using essential oils for over 20 years and helps her customers with cutting edge natural solutions. Her “Smell ’em Wear ’em Drink ’em” slogan applies to more than just certified pure essential oils. Her dōTERRA brand products also include bioavailable supplements and exclusive home care products.
Wintrust Wealth Management
Nina Azwoir, First Vice President Naples • 239.697.5204 www.nazwoir.wintrustwealth.com nazwoir@wintrustwealth.com
Nina Azwoir is a licensed Financial Advisor with over 17 years of industry experience in the realm of wealth management, financial planning, and retirement solutions. Nina has the knowledge and perspective to help keep her clients and their financial future on a steady course as they navigate through life and retirement. Her highest priority is her clients and their families. Reach out to Nina for your complimentary financial plan.
Cloud 9 Float Spa Fort Myers 239.887.4161 c9floatspa.com
Floating, also known as Flotation Therapy, has been used for years for its mental, spiritual, meditative, and physical benefits and has a vast amount of published research to support its claims.
BIOLOGICAL DENTIST
Richard Hiler
Feel Amazing Institute Naples • 239.330.1000 sta @feelamazing.com naplesneurodoc.com
Feel Amazing Spine and Joint Institute focuses on Neuropathy solutions for legs, feet and hands, and Spinal Decompression to relieve chronic or severe back and neck pain. Call for a free telephone consultation with a Chiropractic Neurologist or for a free recorded webinar.
Josephine Perez, DMD
Naples, FL • 239.692.9623 puredentalnaples.com
Dr. Josephine Perez, DMD, has been practicing dentistry for 29 years. She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dentistry in Boston and interned at New Orleans Coast Guard/ Navy Base. Her holistic approach to dentistry encompasses each person’s unique and entire (or whole, therefore holistic) state of physical and emotional well-being. The ability to maintain health through preventive measures and treatments of oral disease is her priority. Dr. Perez focuses on the underlying condition, rather than only treating the symptoms. She tests for biocompatibility to find pathways to reduce inflammation.
Carol Roberts
Best Medicine
Sarasota, FL • 941.404.8030 bestmedicinefl@gmail.com BestMedicine.US
Best Medicine is the holistic/ functional practice of Carol L. Roberts, MD, providing longevity services, including natural hormone replacement therapy, and second opinions for chronic conditions undertreated by conventional medicine. Located in Sarasota, Florida, Dr. Roberts has decades of experience in the field and truly listens to her patients.
Jo Vaccarino, CCT, LMT, MLD-C Be Well Thermal Imaging and Natural Health Clinic Naples, FL • 239.250.9312 jo@bwditi.com bewellnaples.com
Be Well with mind and body balancing modalities. Clinical Thermography is a noninvasive test to help guide treatments and/or further testing. Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is a targeted therapy based on over a century of practice that can help with pain, injury, trauma, anxiety, and a variety of wellness goals.
HatchPath
4850 Tamiami Trail N, Suite 301, Naples 34103 289.221.7195 • hatchpath.io hello@hatchpath.io
Where health coaches and clients meet. Customizable coaching within a trusted wellness community.
Theresa Edmunds, CHC Naples, FL • 239.778.6842 theresa@naplesroboticpainrelief.com naplesroboticpainrelief.com
Educating clients about all aspects of natural health. Truly healthy food, living chemical-free and detoxing, healthy home, emotional well-being, reducing stress, movement, supplements/homeopathy. Helping you recover, enhance, and protect your health. Providing the foundation you need to live your best life full of energy and vitality.
Berman Physical Therapy
Jake Berman, PT, DPT 501 Goodlette Rd N, C-100, Naples, FL 34102 • 239.431.0232 Drberman@bermanpt.com Bermanpt.com
Most people think pain is a standard part of the aging process. We help people age 50+ avoid surgery and pain pills so they can keep active, mobile, and living their best life!
Berman Health and Wellness
Jenni Berman, PA-C, CPT, CNS 501 Goodlette Rd N Unit C202 Naples, FL 34102 • 239.431.0232 bermanpt.com/wellness
Berman Health and Wellness is a Functional Medicine Center that helps individuals reach their goal weight and optimize their gut health, while avoiding needless medications and achieving the highest quality of life imaginable. Our goal is to evaluate the metabolism, gut health, and bloodwork to optimizeeach aspect of the client.
Linda Burton, LMHC Naples Florida • 239.450.2491 333eternalgrace@gmail.com LindaBurtontherapy.com and Psychology Today
I specialize in substance abuse, anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, life transitions, and grief issues. My holistic approach focuses on healing the mind, body and spirit. Relaxation, breathwork, and mindfulness help to reduce stress, improve focus and create balance. The path to a healthy, fulfilling life is a personal journey toward wholeness.
Michele Durham
Access Holistic Healing Naples, FL • 239.776.2211 info@accessholistichealing.com accessholistichealing.com
A certified and national guild member, I take a holistic approach to healing MINDBODY-SPIRIT, using herbs, light and sound therapy, medical grade infrared sauna, and salt booth. Specialized techniques include hypnosis, neurolinguistic programming, and quantum healing hypnosis (QHHT) to heal trauma, quit smoking, lose weight, eliminate anxiety, and more!
Marisol Gordillo
Access Holistic Healing Naples, FL • 239.776.2211 info@accessholistichealing.com accessholistichealing.com
Certificada por la associacion Nacional Guild. Mi enfoque es el lo holistico Mente-CuerpoEspiritu usando hierbas, terapia de luz y sonido, grado medico sauna infrarojo & cabina de sal. Me especializo en Hipnosis, Neuro & Quantum para sanar trauma, dejar de fumar, perder peso, disminuir la anciedad, deprecion y mas!
Betsy Opyt, RD, LD/N, CDE Healthy Concepts Consulting Naples, FL • 239.297.8844 betsy@healthyconceptsconsulting.com healthyconceptsconsulting.com
Betsy is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Integrative & Functional Nutrition Therapist, and yoga teacher. She specializes in nutrigenomics, gut health, food sensitivities, detoxing, inflammatory diseases, and longevity living. Also a professional speaker and advocate for healthy living and is available for individual consultations, group programs, and speaking engagements.
Lisa H. Sprague, MSS, PTA, LMT
MV Solutions
Science & Art of Healing
5633 Strand Blvd #311, Naples, FL 34110 239.821.1223 • mvSolutions.pro scienceandartofhealing.com
Healing is voltage, and life is in the blood! Naples GlycoCheck testing site measures and analyzes your microvascular health. Unhealthy microvascular health is a precursor to several serious diseases. Know your score—it’s important! Discover powerful new approaches to optimize your health and well-being from the cellular level with redox signaling, frequency, and more.
Julie S. Hurst-Nicoll
Central Indiana and Southwest Florida 239.302.8862 • 877.877.9744 Naples, FL • AMEswfl.com info@americanmoldexperts.com
A fully licensed and bonded, women-owned business with two generations in mold remediation. Julie holds educational sessions for industry conferences and is a regular author of issues related to mold, mycotoxins, and patient mold illness, having herself been a victim of mold toxicity. She and her partner developed a green solution alternative to removing toxic mold and mycotoxins.
Jenni Berman, PA-C, CPT, CNS Berman Health and Wellness Naples, FL • 239.431.0232 www.bermanpt.com/wellness
Berman Health and Wellness is a Functional Medicine Center that helps individuals reach their goal weight and optimize their gut health, while avoiding needless medications and achieving the highest quality of life imaginable. Our goal is to evaluate the metabolism, gut health, and bloodwork to optimizeeach aspect of the client.
Beth McCarthy
Joyful Wellness LLC
Naples, FL • 719.440.2815 yogabeth@mac.com floridahealthychef.com
Are you ready to live your most delicious, vibrant life? Experience unparalleled health and renewed vitality with Joyful Wellness, your destination for in-home weekly personal nutrition chef services, culinary and healthy lifestyle coaching, in-home cooking classes, and beautifully crafted boutique-style organic catering. Transform your health today!
Betsy Opyt, RD, LD/N, CDE
Healthy Concepts Consulting Naples, FL • 239.297.8844
betsy@healthyconceptsconsulting.com healthyconceptsconsulting.com
Betsy is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Integrative and Functional Nutrition Therapist, and yoga teacher. She specializes in nutrigenomics, gut health, food sensitivities, detoxing, inflammatory diseases, and longevity living. She is also a professional speaker and advocate for healthy living and is available for individual consultations, group programs, and speaking engagements.
Denise A. Pancyrz, CHN, DSS™
CuraVida Wellness Solutions
Marco Island, FL • 877.287.2843
denise@mycuravida.com MyCuraVida.com
Chronic disease is first addressed with finding root cause. Each wellness package starts with functional medicine testing hair analysis setting the stage for a sound nutritional foundation. We are a comprehensive integrative virtual wellness center resolving type 2 diabetes, digestive issues, weight loss, joint pain, and more.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Nature’s Rite Onlines • 800.991.7088 www.mynaturesrite.com
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Richard Hiler
Feel Amazing Institute Naples • 239.330.1000 sta @feelamazing.com naplesneurodoc.com
Feel Amazing Spine and Joint Institute focuses on Neuropathy solutions for legs, feet and hands, and Spinal Decompression to relieve chronic or severe back and neck pain. Call for a free telephone consultation with a Chiropractic Neurologist or for a free recorded webinar.
Naples Robotic Pain Relief
Theresa Edmunds, CHC, RPT Naples, FL • 239.778.6842
theresa@naplesroboticpainrelief.com naplesroboticpainrelief.com
This innovative technology uses the static pressure of the robotic arm to release muscle tension, lengthening muscles back to their original state. This reduces pressure on joints/bones and increases flexibility. Clients report pain resolution, greater mobility, recovery from injury, increased range of motion, and a general feeling of well-being.
Candice Rosen RN, Health Counseling
Candice Rosen, RN candicerosenrn.com
Candice P. Rosen is a registered nurse, social worker, nutritionist, health counselor, and author. She is the creator of The Pancreatic Nutritional Program and Data-Driven Fueling. She has spent her life’s work focused on improving the wellness of both her clients and her community. She advocated for preventative medicine, improved disability access, promoted maternal and infant health, and worked to bring awareness to the global obesity and diabetes epidemics.
Berman Golf
Jake Berman, PT, DPT 501 Goodlette Rd N, C-100, Naples, FL 34102 • 239.431.0232 distance@bermangolf.com Bermangolf.com
Most golfers think a deteriorating golf game is a normal part of getting older. We help aging golfers increase distance off the tee, shoot more consistently, and play more frequently!
Lacie Delgado
everyBODY Pilates and Yoga Bonita Springs, FL • 239.221.3116 everybodypilatesinc@gmail.com everybodystudio.com
everyBODY Pilates Group Equipment Classes, Private/Duet/Small group sessions. Healing The Body, Mind, and Spirit with Strength, Movement, and Flexibility. Using the fundamentals from Joseph Pilates combined with the gifted talents and knowledge of Lacie Delgado. "Pilates is so much more than a fitness or exercise class…it's a way of life."
Pinky Bacsinila
Skylight Yoga & Fitness
Naples, FL • 239.649.5002
info@skylightyogafit.com skylightyogafit.com
More than its name…Skylight Yoga & Fitness is a boutique studio offering yoga, fitness, pilates, reformer, and stretch programs for all levels via small group and private sessions. An inclusive, welcoming, fun community awaits and supports you on your wellness journey. A hidden gem in central Naples.
