Water is clearly one of the most important factors in terms of what you put into your body, simply because without it you will die within a few short days. You may know that two-thirds of your body is water, but did you know that in terms of the number of molecules, your body actually consists of over 99 percent water molecules!

Astounding, isn't it?

For years, Dr. Pollack had been doing research on muscles and how they contract, but it struck him as odd that the most common ideas about muscle contraction do not involve water, despite muscle tissue consisting of 99 percent water molecules.

"So I became interested in water," Dr. Pollack says. "We've been doing research in my laboratory at the University of Washington for some 10 years now on water. The book that I wrote in 2001, it's called Cells, Gels, and the Engines of Life, talks about the role of water in cell biology. Water is absolutely central."

Yet textbooks by and large completely ignore the presence of water in your organs, muscles and tissues. Dr. Pollack's book addresses this discrepancy and brings to the fore the role of water.

Highlights of a Decade's Worth of Research into Water

Water is actually part of the structure of each cell. In addition to the fact that this water is interfacing and is ordered, it is also charged. And the water just beyond it is oppositely charged. This acts like a battery.

Dr. Pollack explains:

"In your cells are multiple batteries with plus and minus charges, separated... [T]he question is, how are these batteries charged?

The charge comes from incident radiant energy; light, heat, ultraviolet. All of these absorbed energies separate the charge. The energy that's coming in from outside builds this charge separation and order. This potential energy fills your cells. I think this energy is critical to an understanding of how your cells work."

In a nutshell, the water in each of your cells achieves its ordered structure from energy obtained from the environment, typically in the form of electromagnetic radiation, including sunlight and infrared heat.

How the Water in Your Cells Impacts Your Health

You may have heard about "structured water" before. Many are quite skeptical, and some don't even believe it exists, let alone that it has any value. But it's important when trying to find high quality water. Water filtration processes used to clean our water supply frequently de-structures the water, so the question is whether or not this matters.

But "the water inside your cells is absolutely critical for your health. If you have a pathology of an organ, it's not only the proteins inside that organ that are not working, but also the water inside that organ. That near-protein water is not ordered in the way it should be.

In fact, the protein molecule in your cells cannot be viewed as just a molecule by itself. It's actually the molecule PLUS the water. These two factors together form the "entity" of the molecule in question.

"If you need that entity to function properly--take a muscle for example—if the muscle is not functioning, it's the protein and the water that are not functioning," Dr. Pollack explains. "You need plenty of this ordered/structured water and proteins in their right form in order to make the muscle function properly. So if you have a muscle injury then both are not functioning."

So, how do you restore it?

Restructuring Water in Your Cells Creates Tissue Healing

Classically, one way of doing it is to use infrared radiation (heat). By applying heat to the muscle, you increase blood supply, which is helpful. But you're also building water structure! Dr. Pollack's research shows that infrared heat is very effective for ordering cellular water. In terms of the source of the infrared heat, as long as it emits the right wavelength of radiation, it will be effective. According to Dr. Pollack, the wavelength of 3 micrometers (microns) is ideal and very effective.

The sun also emits this wavelength, which may be yet another reason why sun exposure has such profound health benefits and just feels good through and through. Interestingly, the human body also emits radiation within the ideal range, which may explain why simple physical contact, including 'hands-on healing,' or Reiki can contribute to improved health.

Another way to structure water is to use light.

The visible light spectrum, ultraviolet (UV) and near infrared also builds ordered water zones. Again, light therapy has been used for years to remedy various maladies, such as depression and jaundice, for example. But it's only now that scientists are beginning to understand why such therapies work.

Clearly, one of the primary health benefits of sun exposure and UVB's is that it makes your body create vitamin D, which we now realize is absolutely crucial for optimal health. But the fact that it also helps structure the water within your cells may be yet another contributing factor. After all, your body is a conglomerate of symbiotic relationships.

Should You Drink Structured Water?

This is still a question open for debate. However, Dr. Pollack believes that if you're able to drink structured water, it would be good for your health. Interestingly, certain waters, such as the "healing water" from the Ganges and Lourdes, for example, have been studied and found to have the signature of the structured water found in cells.

"In other words, there was a particular absorption of energy at a particular wavelength that's absolutely characteristic of the structured water," Dr. Pollack says.

"That makes me think that there is a good possibility that the water really has the capability of retaining that structure over a long time… Therefore, it's possible that if you drink water that has this structure, it might be good for your health."

Structuring and Destructuring Water—How is it Done?

Another open question is how you might de-structure water, which is what Dr. Pollack's team is currently exploring. It's unclear whether boiling, for example, can de-structure the water, or whether in fact it might help add structure… On the flip side is the question of how to reintroduce structure to water. There are two simple approaches to restructure water:

1.        Cooling it to about 39 degrees Fahrenheit
2.        Stirring the water with a spoon in a circular jar to create a vortex

As for restructuring water by creating vortices, Viktor Schauberger is recognized as one of the leaders in this area. This technique is also used when making homeopathic remedies.

Dr. Pollack explains why this technique works:

"If you think of a vortex, what happens? Well, the vortex is a kind of mechanical perturbation or agitation. Probably it builds bubbles—little air bubbles that are deeply involved or enveloped into the vortex.

If these bubbles contain an envelope of structured water, then vortexing would be a very powerful way of increasing structure. So I think that is another way of increase.  Both of those ideas: reducing the temperature and vortexing, probably do lead to increased water structure."

Researchers have also investigated what happens to the structure of water when you run an electrical current through it.

"If you put a negative electrode right next to structured water, the structured region grows, but with a positive electrode it diminishes," Dr. Pollack explains. "So this structured water is just filled with charge. It's not free charge, its charges that are fixed at points in a very tight matrix--something like a semi-conductor. But it can build, and the source from which it builds is water, ordinary bulk water.

… So yeah, if you put an electrode in, it does work. It has a powerful effect… In the experiments we've done, it's just a matter of 5-10 volts… We haven't studied it in enough detail how much voltage you really need to put on to be effective. That needs to be done in the future. There are pilot experiments that we've done and we haven't published them yet."

The Connection Between Structured Water and the Practice of Grounding

Dr. Pollack also offers some fascinating insights into the technique of grounding—the simple act of walking barefoot to "ground" with the Earth. The scientific theory behind the health benefits seen from this simple practice is that your body absorbs negative electrons from the Earth through the soles of your feet.

Interestingly, Pollack adds support to this idea by explaining how the Earth is negatively charged, so when you ground, you're connecting your body to a negatively charged supply of energy. And since the Earth has a greater negative charge than your body, you end up absorbing electrons from it.

These negatively charged electrons may then help increase the structure of the water in your cells—just as water increases in structure when a negative charge is introduced with an electrode. Dr. Pollack is a wealth of information, and our interview covers far more than what I've summarized above. I highly recommend listening to the entire interview or reading through the transcript for even more information on this important topic.

John Gottman studied more than 2,000 couples at the University of Washington. He found that when marital relationships go bad, they gradually worsen. A little disagreement here leads to a criticism there, which leads to a bigger disagreement and so forth. At some point things dramatically change. Gottman believes that when the ratio of positive to negative interactions falls lower than five to one, people start to think negatively about their marriage. If the positive interactions don’t quickly increase, the marriage is in grave danger. Forgiveness is a transformation that frees partners from the negative perceptions of their relationship that can magnify and become catastrophic.

Gottman describes how sudden transformation can occur in relationships by showing that couples have a great deal of forbearance for one another in the early stages of their courtship, but if too many hurts accumulate, the threshold for forbearance goes down until forgiveness occurs or the relationship ends.

Gottman and Levenson (1992) identified sources of marital conflict in their research with couples:

•          Lack of satisfaction

•          Stubbornness
•          Withdrawal from interaction
•          Defensiveness
•          Negative emotional expression
•          Disappointments in the marital relationship
•          Family of origin hurt
•          Conflicts regarding trust
•          Lack of communication of love and praise
•          Feelings of inadequacy
•          Narcissism
•          Depression
•          Inability to deal with difficult in-laws or children
•          Work stress
•          Excessive sense of responsibility
•          Imbalance in life
•          Unrealistic expectations placed on spouse

So what is forgiveness? Robert Enright, a scientist who studies forgiveness defines it this way:

People, upon rationally determining that they have been unfairly treated, forgive when they willfully abandon resentment and related responses (to which they have a right), and endeavor to respond to the wrongdoer based on the moral principle of beneficence, which may include compassion, unconditional worth, generosity, and moral love (to which the wrongdoer, by nature of the hurtful act or acts, has no right).

Here are some more points about what forgiveness is:

1.    Forgiveness is a continuum: it’s not all or none.
2.    Using principles compared with being aware of principles
3.    Forgiveness is unstable or stable
4.    Forgiveness is superficial or deep
5.    Forgiveness is developmental
6.    Forgiveness is person centered
7.    The quality of the wrong may vary
8.    The depth of the wrong may vary
9.    The wrong is objective, not subjective
10.    The quality of the forgiveness may be dependent on various factors
11.    The expression of forgiveness will vary by culture and religion
12.    The expression of forgiveness may be cognitive, emotional, or spiritual
13.    Who is offended and offender is not always clear
14.    The quality of forgiveness is not always clear

What Forgiveness is NOT:

•          Pardon, legal mercy, leniency
•          Condoning and exusing
•          Reconciliation
•          Conciliation
•          Justification
•          Forgetting
•          Becoming disappointed
•          Balancing scales
•          Self-centering
•          Letting time heal the wound (passive rather than active)
•          Abandoning resentment
•          Possessing positive feelings
•          Saying “I forgive you”
•          Making a decision to forgive (thought without the action)
•          A quick fix
•          Accepting what happened
•          Acceptance of what happened because “God will punish the offender”
•          Moving on
•          Not letting the other person “get to me”
•          Letting the offender know how much he or she owes me

 Another way of understanding forgiveness is to think about the many kinds and levels of forgiveness there are.

Stage 1: Revengeful forgiveness: forgiveness only possible if the offender is punished at least to the degree of pain or damage his or her offense has caused.

Stage 2: Restitutional forgiveness: forgiveness occurs out of guilt for holding a grudge or if the offender offers restitution.

These first two stages are not considered to be true forgiveness as they are motivated by the demand for punishment or reward, both of which fall into pre-conventional moral reasoning. Forgiveness involves canceling a debt, not exacting payment or avoiding one’s own guilt.

Stage 3: Expectational forgiveness: forgiveness offered in response to social pressure.

Stage 4: Lawful expectational forgiveness: forgiveness offered in response to societal, moral or religious pressure.

Both stages 3 and a4 are conventional stages of moral development and are stimulated by social pressures from family, peers, religious doctrines like the commandments or by clergy. In either case, it is not chosen from within and will not be complete.

Stage 5: Forgiveness as social harmony: granted to restore social harmony and right relationship.

If forgiveness is granted to restore social harmony, the reasoning is still based on reward; albeit the forgiver is seeing himself or herself as part of a larger system (family, community, relationship). The expectation of right relationship being restored is there if forgiveness is given. This is also incomplete, as held onto hurt will remain if harmony is not restored.

Stage 6: Forgiveness as love: Forgiveness is unconditionally offered because it promotes love.

This is the only complete forgiveness. No prior conditions need to be met or consequences produced. The older you get, the higher the level of your reasoning and stage of forgiveness. Empathy leads us into higher levels of forgiveness.

Why forgive? Why not hold onto the hurt? Some people do using these kinds of strategies for dealing with the hurt:

•          Overlook the hurt; pretend it never happened.
•          Spend a lot of time thinking about how unfair it was.
•          Plan on getting revenge.
•          Tell yourself it is no big deal.
•          Smooth over the conflict.
•          Realize that he or she didn’t mean to hurt you.
•          Use drugs or alcohol to numb the pain.
•          Overeat.
•          Try to find someone to replace him or her.

Chinese proverb: the one who pursues revenge should dig two graves.

Remember that you are not excusing the offense or the offender when you decide to forgive.

The Mind and Forgiveness:

The mind predicts so we can be safe and know what to do in our world. We must predict the future as much as possible to know how to act. To do this our mind takes input from the left brain, right brain, and midbrain to integrate words, emotions, images at a conscious and unconscious level.

Consciousness devises a rational explanation for experience so that we may predict in the future once more. This is how the mind protects itself from threat. We know what has caused hurt in the past and we use this information to protect ourselves in the future. We avoid thoughts, images and situations that might lead to emotions we don’t want to feel.

Holding onto un-forgiveness is a protective defense; protecting us from further hurt but also preventing us from receiving love. Defenses are natural but they slow down healing. By retelling the story of our victimization we can comfortably predict the future and protect ourselves from further hurt. We fear changing that story as it will leave us undefended and vulnerable in the future. Moving from un-forgiveness to forgiveness requires courage.

Forgiveness can be an emotional experience too and reprograms other areas of the mind.

To forgive we must change our memory. We must improve empathy. We must change our motivations to help others. We must change the stories that we tell ourselves about how we fit into the world. The story is not forgotten, but transformed in memory and the pain becomes irrelevant.

You cannot build a home or school over the top of a landfill without toxic off gassing making you sick in the future. Forgiveness is the bulldozer cleaning up the waste before you rebuild.

Your pain traps you and binds you, not the person who hurt you.

You can never forget emotional hurts. The memoires lurk in a web of connections and associations with other memories. But you can transform your memories so that they are never the same and so that they lose their sting.

What about forgiving yourself?

Self-forgiveness test from Paul Mauger:

Answer each of the following questions with either a true or false:

1.     I don’t think of myself as an evil person. T/F
2.     I feel guilty because I don’t do what I should for my loved ones. T/F
3.     I often feel that no matter what I do now I will never make up for the mistakes I have made in the past. T/F
4.     I regret things I do more often than other people seem to regret things they do. T/F
5.     A lot of times I have feelings of guilt or regret for the things I have done. T/F
6.     I often feel like I have failed to live the right kind of life. T/F
7.     I rarely feel as though I have done something wrong or sinful. T/F
8.     I often get in trouble for not being careful to follow the rules. T/F
9.     I frequently put myself down for failing to work as hard as I should. T/F
10.    It is easy for me to admit that I am wrong. T/F
11.    I find it hard to forgive myself for some things that I have done. T/F
12.    I frequently apologize for myself. T/F
13.    I am often angry at myself for the stupid things I do. T/F
14.    When I hear a sermon, I usually think about things that I have done wrong. T/F
15.    I brood or think a lot about all the troubles I have. T/F

Directions for scoring:

1.       Give yourself one point for every “true” response for items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
2.       Give yourself one point for every “false” response for items 1, 7, and 10.
3.       Add up your total points.
4.       Scores on the forgiveness of self-scale range from 1-15. The higher your score, the more likely you are to suffer from depression, intense anger, anxious thoughts, feeling alienated from yourself and others, and feeling persecuted and misunderstood.

Forgiveness is relational and you must have a relationship with yourself that involves self-compassion to do it.

Forgiveness is complex and involves changing how you think, feel and act. It involves empathy with the person who hurt you. It involves humility and a willingness to admit that you, too, have done wrong. Beyond empathy and humility, forgives involves the motivation to act.

The AURA PTL II utilizes the healing power of light in a rather unique method that combines the benefits of acupuncture, information induction, modulated frequencies and low-level light therapy to increase circulation, reduce inflammation and stimulate cellular growth and repair.

Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) has been investigated and used clinically for over 30 years, mostly in Eastern Europe and Asia. Low power or cold lasers can non-thermally and non-destructively alter cellular function. This phenomenon, known as laser biostimulation or photobiomodulation, is the basis for the current use of lasers to treat a variety of articular, neural, and soft tissue conditions. This type of therapy has significant published evidence to the efficacy which includes over 200 randomized controlled tests. This evidence is equal to or greater than standards for pharmaceutical, surgical, and manual therapies for a wide range of pathologies.

Low-level light therapy lasers are only capable of delivering a physiological dose of therapy. One of the most important aspects of a physiological dose of therapy is that it is safe. It is safe no matter what the condition or pathology is, no matter what medications the patient is on and no matter what the patient may be allergic to. Due to the low-level, non-thermal nature, there is no tissue destruction or other hazard that you would find associated with the higher powered lasers unless the light is shined directly into the eye.

What can low-level light laser therapy be used for? We at Fern Life Center have protocols for the following medical problems and many more besides. Talk to one of our medical providers if you have questions.

•          allergy removal (it is like NAET but quicker and like acupuncture without the needles)
•          pain relief for joints, muscles, head-aches, inflammation, and acute trauma
•          hormone balancing
•          depression, anxiety, and other emotional issues
•          addiction removal (smoking especially)
•          detoxification
•          adrenal recovery
•          thyroid disorders
•          asthma
•          yeast clearing/parasite clearing
•          skin issues
•          bed wetting issues
•          digestive issues
•          fibromyalgia
•          ADHD
•          shingles and herpes simplex
•          insomnia
•          Restless Leg Syndrome
•          Stress
•          UTIs
•          Fatigue
•          carpal tunnel
•          neuralgia
•          diabetes
•          sciatic nerve
•          tennis elbow

Frequently Asked Questions:

1.       How many visits does it take?

 If you complete one protocol of 12-18 visits, then it will only take 1-4 additional visits to treat an entirely different issue. For example, if you complete a food or allergy protocol of 12 visits and then decide you would like to clear up your psoriasis or acne or yeast or digestive issue or hormone or mood issue, it would only take another 1-4 sessions to treat each of these other problems.

2.       How long is each session?

 We schedule your time for 20 minute intervals.

3.       Do I have to wear something special?

 No, we will provide you with a gown and sunglasses for your treatment.

4.       Can the laser burn me or are there side effects?

 No, this is cold laser. You can get what is called a “detox reaction” that can include head-aches, painful muscles or joints, fatigue and a dip in your mood or digestive issues. This is unusual and more time would need to be placed between sessions if you get this problem.

5.       How often can I receive a treatment?

 You must have at least 24 hours between sessions for your nervous system to get used to the new pathways. You can have up to 3 sessions per week: Monday, Wed., and Friday.

6.       Does insurance cover this?

 No it does not. The Aura PTL Laser is FDA approved, but not insurance approved. Each session is $75 plus the cost of homeopathic tinctures or supplements that might be prescribed by our medical providers that go with specific protocols.

7.       How do I know which protocol I would need?

 Our medical providers will assess you and determine which protocol and in what order treatment would best bring you back to balance.

8.       If I do this for allergy removal, will my allergies be gone for the rest of my life?

Theoretically, yes. However, sometimes people need an extra treatment at the beginning of hay fever season if they get seasonal allergies. At Fern Life Center we use the ALCAT test to screen for 250 different food and herbal/supplement sensitivities. This can help guide our treatment for you.

9.       Do the treatments hurt?

No, in fact you feel nothing.

10.   Are there any special instructions before I come into the clinic for treatment or after my sessions?

 Yes, below is our patient instruction sheet. Please read carefully in preparation for your treatment.

Instructions for Laser Therapy

The day of your appointment:

•  Do not take any supplements or unnecessary medications for one hour before your appointment.
• Avoid eating one hour before your appointment.
• Please drink a lot of water for 24 hours before your visit. We will need you to be well hydrated.
• Most treatments involve treating acupuncture points on the lower leg, forearms and back.  Gowns are provided, but you may want to wear loose pants that can roll up and a white, sheer shirt in place of wearing a gown.
• Please do not wear perfume, strong smelling deodorant, fragrances, essential oils, hand lotion, aftershave or cologne on the day of your visit.
• If you need to reschedule your appointment, please do so no later than noon two (2) business days prior to your appointment to avoid a cancellation fee.

After your treatment:

For three hours after your treatment we recommend if possible, do not:

• Shop
• Go to a restaurant
• Visit a hair salon, Barber shop, or nail salon
• Gas your car
• Chew gum, use breath mints
• Drink anything except water
• Eat anything
• Do anything that is highly stressful or stimulating
• Have a Massage, Acupuncture, Vigorous Exercise, Hot Tub, Sauna, Steam Room or Swimming

                (This is to avoid exposure to foods and chemical that you eat, drink, breath or put on your skin,                 and is a recommendation for best results, but not a requirement.)

We have designed these suggestions based on years of practical experience. You may be able to break some or all of the rules and do just fine. You will have the best chance for success if you follow all the suggestions. The restrictions are to be followed for three hours, a small price to pay for a long term benefit.

As long as you do not experience severe detoxification reactions like joint pain, severe fatigue, head-aches, nausea, or digestive issues, you may have one laser treatment every other day. If you do have a healing crisis it is essential to slow the treatment process down to let the body catch up. Once you have completed a complete protocol consisting of 12-18 treatment sessions, it will be possible to do “add-ons” of 1-4 sessions for other issues right after. For example, if you completed the full allergy/sensitivity protocol of 12-18 sessions, you can then do the hormone or mood stabilization or yeast or detox protocols which consist of anywhere from 1-4 sessions each. This is a wonderful non-invasive way to heal each layer of your body.

Please note that to enhance the efficacy of the laser therapy, there will be some homeopathic tinctures prescribed by our medical staff to take during your protocol that will cost extra above the cost of the laser sessions. These are usually only taken until the one bottle is finished.

To make an appointment for this non-invasive treatment please call: (425) 391-3376 to book an appointment.

The Apo E gene is the number one factor affecting how your body uses “The Big Three” food groups—carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It is extremely important to eat the right balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins for your specific Apo E genotype because it influences the possibility of developing certain diseases, as well as their severity.

The Apo E Gene Diet is not a diet in the usual sense of the word. The word "diet" here means a series of specific recommendations for individual nutrition and other environmental factors, such as exercise and stress levels, to name a few. The goal of the Apo E Gene Diet is disease prevention and a healthier life.

Introduction to the Apo E Gene

We all have the Apo E gene (pronounced by saying each letter, A - P - O - E). This gene plays a key role in our body's internal environment and influences the development of chronic disease, especially heart and Alzheimer’s disease. The Apo E gene occurs as three variations in humans: Apo E 2, Apo E 3, and Apo E 4. Since genes come in matching pairs, we each have two of every gene, one from each parent. If you received an Apo E 2 from one parent and an Apo E 3 from the other parent, your genotype would be E 2/3. The six possible combinations of Apo E gene pairs are E 2/2, E 2/3, E 3/3, E 4/2, E 4/3, and E 4/4.

How Your Apo E Genotype Affects Your Health

The most common genotype, Apo E 3/3, is found in approximately 64 percent of the population. It is considered the “neutral” Apo E genotype. Combinations that include either the Apo E 2 or Apo E 4 are considered “alternative” expressions of the more common Apo E 3 pairing. About 25% of the population has one or more of the E 4 genes and 12% have one or more of the E 2 genes. People with an Apo E 2 or 4 process foods differently from the Apo E 3s.

The specific pair of Apo E genes you inherited from your parents greatly influences your predisposition to certain illnesses, including heart disease, vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. For example, persons with the Apo E 4/4 genotype could have up to a 90% chance of developing a chronic illness such as Alzheimer's disease. Maintaining an optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype is known as a "gene-supportive environment" (GSE). Doing so can dramatically reduce your risk of developing these chronic illnesses. That's why the Apo E Gene Diet was created by Pamela McDonald, ARNP.

The Apo E Gene Diet

The foundation of the Apo E Gene Diet is a nutritional plan that focuses on eating the optimal percentages of The Big Three food groups for your specific Apo E genotype. One diet does not fit all because each Apo E genotype processes foods differently. There is a unique optimal combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in the ideal diet for each of the six Apo E genotypes. Creating this optimal balance in your diet provides the foundation for your good health.

A personalized plan for your Apo E genotype will guide you in choosing the optimal:

• fat content with the correct types of fats
• carbohydrate content with the correct types of carbohydrates
• protein content with the correct types of proteins
• caloric content for your needs
• amount and kind of exercise appropriate for you
• balance of stress and relaxation in your life
• mental and emotional environment
• type of energy and intentions you allow into your life (the spiritual component)

Most of the existing dietary recommendations are based on the assumption that one diet is appropriate for everyone. These diets fail to accomplish long-term weight loss or optimal disease prevention because we are not all the same. In reality, diet and exercise recommendations must be individualized, beginning with a person's genetic foundation.

The Apo E Gene Diet focuses on an individual’s genetic recipe, creating dietary and exercise recommendations for each of the six possible Apo E genotypes.

The Optimal Diet and Lifestyle for Your Apo E Genotype

How do you create the optimal diet and lifestyle for your particular Apo E genotype? There are three steps:

1. First, read The Perfect Gene Diet by Pamela McDonald.
2. After reading the book, you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to know your Apo E genotype. Finding your Apo E genotype is done through a simple cheek swab test or non-fasting blood test.
3. Once you know your Apo E genotype, follow the diet and lifestyle plan outlined in the book for your particular Apo E genotype. Personal guidance is also offered by phone or in person from our staff.

Following these three steps will support you on the path to a healthy life, free of chronic disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to know my Apo E genotype?

Your Apo E genotype greatly affects how your body processes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, which in turn, affects your weight AND your predisposition toward certain chronic diseases, especially heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. 

 Once I know my Apo E genotype, can anything be done to reduce my risk of getting these chronic illnesses?

Yes. By adopting a diet and lifestyle that is appropriate for your particular Apo E genotype, you create a "gene-supportive environment (GSE)" for your Apo E genotype. Maintaining this "gene-supportive environment" dramatically reduces your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

 Can the Apo E Gene Diet help me lose weight?

Yes. Following the dietary and lifestyle guidelines specific to your particular Apo E genotype enables your body to more efficiently process carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. In essence, the Apo E Gene Diet creates a customized plan for your body to help you lose weight, while at the same time minimizing your risk of developing chronic diseases.

 Is the Apo E Gene Diet the same for everyone?

No. That’s what so unique about this diet. There are six Apo E genotypes, and each genotype processes food in a unique way. Accordingly, there are specific optimal diet and exercise guidelines for each of the six Apo E genotypes.

 How do I find out what my Apo E gene type is?

Learning your Apo E genotype can be accomplished by performing a cheek swab test or a non-fasting blood test.

 Can I get my Apo E gene test at any lab?

No. The Apo E gene test is a specialized test – not all labs perform this test.

 Does my Apo E gene test need to be ordered by a medical provider?

Yes. This test needs to be ordered by a licensed medical provider.

Do I need to fast for the Apo E gene test?

No. Fasting is not required because we are only examining genetic material.

 What should I consider before making the decision to be tested for my Apo E genotype?


We strongly recommend reading The Perfect Gene Diet by Pamela McDonald before making the decision to be tested. There are many factors to consider regarding gene testing, and this book will guide you through them.

I want to be tested. How do I go about it?

Apo E gene testing offers the beginning of improved health and a happier life for many people. Once you know your Apo E gene type, a clear personalized dietary, exercise, and general wellness program provides you with the key to preventing heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and many other chronic diseases.

However, we recommend that you be tested only if you are willing to follow the personalized diet and lifestyle program that creates the most supportive environment for your Apo E gene type.

The decision to be tested is a very personal one. Some people want to be tested to learn the appropriate diet and lifestyle for their particular Apo E genotype, thereby minimizing their risk of developing chronic disease. Other people prefer not to know their genetic predisposition toward certain chronic diseases—clearly, this test is not for them.

There are several basic questions that you can ask yourself when considering whether you want to be tested:

1. Why would I want to learn my Apo E gene type?
2. Once I get my results, am I willing to follow the recommended diet, exercise, and wellness program best for my gene type?
3. Who is going to support me in undertaking any lifestyle change program?

If you do decide to be tested and embark on THE APO E GENE DIET™ program, we offer guidance and a unique collection of tools for a sustainable lifestyle that will bring you a renewed sense of health and wellbeing. A holistic assessment and life-balancing program, the Wellness Inventory, will help you gain personal insight into your state of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Personalized telephone consulting rounds out the program.

I have written many times about the many and myriad negative implications inflammation has on the body and mind. You could say inflammation is the root of all pain and most illness. The problem with treating inflammation is that it has many sources and western medicine only has one primary treatment for it: anti-inflammatory drugs. Non-steroidal and steroid anti-inflammatory drugs both pack a whole boat load of side-effects, which many times outstrip the inflammation itself in terms of impact on the body. As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So how do we prevent inflammation? First, become aware of the many causes of it so you can then begin to prevent each one.

1. High Sugar Foods: You immune system is suppressed for 2-4 hours after ingesting it…don’t!
2. High Fat Foods: Especially foods with arachidonic acid and saturated fats (dairy and animal fats primarily). The right kind of fat is beneficial and anti-inflammatory.
3. Food Allergies: Allergens form immune complexes and lead to inflammation. Do the ALCAT test to check for yours. It’s $445 out of pocket, or many times at least partially reimbursed by insurance. Our NAET or Aura PTL Laser protocol will remove food and environmental allergies for life!
4. Foods that promote bacterial overgrowth of the small bowel: Simple sugars and complex carbohydrates that are quickly digested such as refined flour and white potatoes. A complete stool analysis will quickly tell if there is yeast or bacteria growing in the small bowel.
5. Insufficient Fiber: Fiber pulls toxins from the GI tract and acts like a broom to sweep them out.
6. Insufficient Phytonutrients: Phytonutrients are primarily found in fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds and act as anti-inflammatories and anti-oxidants, which quench inflammation.
7. Insufficient Exercise: Exercise helps to reduce adipose tissue (fat), which is pro-inflammatory and it increases lean muscle mass which reduces inflammation by improving insulin sensitivity.
8. Vitamin D deficiency: Causes inflammation, promotes autoimmunity, and expedites the progression of osteoarthritis. A simple blood test (paid for by insurance unless you have Regence, who has decided that even though you live in the Pacific Northwest, they won’t pay to have your D levels checked any longer) will quickly tell how much you should be taking.
9. Fatty Acid Imbalance: Insufficiency in Omega 3 and 6 fats, along with excesses of saturated fat and trans-fats lead to inflammation. A fatty acid test can tell what your balance is and which fats you need to focus on ingesting less or more of.
10. Vitamin and Mineral deficiency: Especially magnesium, which is seen in 20-40% of the most “industrialized” populations. A hair mineral analysis will tell what your mineral levels are or the Nutreval test from Genova Diagnostics. It’s $169 with their “Pay Assured” program (unless you have Aetna insurance and then it’s all out of pocket because Aetna does not participate in this program).
11. Xenobiotic/Toxin Accumulation: A xenobiotic is a chemical which is found in an organism but which is not normally produced or expected to be present in it. It can also cover substances which are present in much higher concentrations than are usual. Specifically, drugs such as antibiotics are xenobiotics in humans because the human body does not produce them itself, nor are they part of a normal diet.

Natural compounds can also become xenobiotics if they are taken up by another organism, such as the uptake of natural human hormones by fish found downstream of sewage treatment plant outfalls, or the chemical defenses produced by some organisms as protection against predators.

However, the term xenobiotics is very often used in the context of pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls and their effect on the biota, because xenobiotics are understood as substances foreign to an entire biological system, i.e. artificial substances, which did not exist in nature before their synthesis by humans.

• Emotional Stress and Toxic Relationships: High stress has been shown to impair wound healing, decreases the immune system, and promotes inflammation of the body as well as the mind. The enneagram, The Heart Math Solution, and heart centered clinical hypnotherapy are all tools we use to help with coping with stress and learning better self-awareness and boundary setting tools so stress does not wreak havoc with the body and mind.

Take the time to go through each of these categories and circle which ones you need to work on and then begin to chip away at it by introducing a healthier alternative…one step at a time. Simple inflammatory markers done with blood testing can reveal the level of inflammation, as well as your own symptoms like skin disorders, joint pain, gastric esophageal reflux, digestive issues, menstrual cramps, hot flashes, autoimmune disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, mood swings, depression and anxiety, insomnia, and more. Give yourself the gift of a long healthy life with a mind that remains sharp until the day you die.

Refrigerator Sheet from The Whole Brain Child

by Daniel Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PH.D.

1. I.  Integrating the Left and Right brain
   1. a.  Left + Right= clarity and understanding: help your kids use both the logical left brain and the emotional right brain as a team.
   2. b.  What you can do:

i.      Connect and redirect: when your child is upset, connect first emotionally, right brain to right brain. Then, once your child is more in control and receptive, bring in the left-brain lessons and discipline.

ii.      Name it to tame it: when big, right brain emotions are raging out of control, help your kids tell the story about what’s upsetting them, so their left brain can help make sense of their experience and they can feel more in control.

1. II.  Integrating the upstairs brain and the downstairs brain.
   1. a.  Develop the upstairs brain: watch for ways to help build the sophisticated upstairs brain, which is “under construction” during childhood and adolescence and can be “hijacked” by the downstairs brain, especially in high emotion situations.
   2. b. What you can do:

i.      Engage, don’t enrage: in high stress situations, engage your child’s upstairs brain, rather than triggering the downstairs brain. Don’t immediately play the “Because I told you so” card. Instead, ask questions, request alternatives, even negotiate.

ii.      Use it or lose it: provide lots of opportunities to exercise the upstairs brain. Play, “What would you do?” games, and avoid rescuing kids from difficult situations.

iii.      Move it or lose it: when a child has lost touch with his upstairs brain, help him regain balance by having him move his body.

1. III.   Integrating Memory
   1. a.      Make the implicit explicit: help your kids make their implicit memories explicit, so that past experiences don’t affect them in debilitating ways.
   2. b.      What you can do:

i.      Use the remote of the mind: when a child is reluctant to narrate a painful event, the internal remote lets her pause, rewind, and fast-forward, a story as she tells it, so she can maintain control over how much of it she views.

ii.      Remember to remember: help your kids exercise their memory by giving them lots of practice at recalling important events: in the car, at the dinner table, wherever.

1. IV.  Integrating the many parts of myself
   1. a.      The wheel of awareness: when your kids get stuck on one particular point on the rim of their wheel of awareness, help them choose where they focus their attention so they can gain more control over how they feel.
   2. b.      What you can do:

i.      Let the clouds of emotion roll by: remind kids that feelings come and go; they are temporary states, not enduring traits.

ii.      SIFT: help your children pay attention to the Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts within them.

iii.      Exercise Mindsight: Mindsight practices teach children to calm themselves and focus their attention where they want.

1. V.   Integrating Self and Other
   1. a.      Wired for “we”: watch for ways to capitalize on the brain’s built-in capacity for social interaction. Create positive mental models of relationship.
   2. b.      What you can do:

i.      Enjoy each other: build fun into the family, so that your kids enjoy positive and satisfying experiences with the people they’re with the most.

ii.      Connect through conflict: instead of an obstacle to avoid, view conflict as an opportunity to teach your kids essential relationship skills, like seeing other people’s perspectives, reading non-verbal cues, and making amends.

Parents get clear on their past    -->         Coherent Narrative    -->        Strong 

Attachment Relationship with kids     -->      Kids Thrive!

Early experience is not fate. By making sense of your past you can free yourself from what might otherwise be a cross-generational legacy of pain and insecure attachment, and instead create an inheritance of nurturance and love for your children.

Introduction

Ayurveda, ancient yet timeless, gives you the means of attaining and maintaining your own optimal health and wellbeing. The benefits of Ayurvedic medicine have been proven over centuries of use, and its methodologies are as applicable today in the West as they were thousands of years ago in India.

History of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the traditional healing modality of the Vedic culture from India. It is said to be 2000 to 5000 years old, meaning it has stood the test of time. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that literally translates as “the wisdom of life” or “the knowledge of longevity”. In accordance with this definition, Ayurvedic medicine views health as much more than the absence of disease. The wise seers and sages of the time, intuitively understanding the physiology and workings of the mind-body-spirit long before the advents of modern medicine, explained the basic principles of Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic medicine was originally an oral tradition, taught and passed directly from teacher to apprentice, who would learn and work side by side. The oldest written codification of Ayurvedic principles is found in the Rig Veda. The fundamentals are then laid out in several major treatises, including the texts from Charaka, Sushruta, and Vaghbhat. There are also numerous other smaller works, written over time to explain the various branches of Ayurveda, which include disciplines such as general medicine, pediatrics, surgery, toxicology, fertility, and rejuvenation. The beauty in the way these have been explained is that they rely on basic principles which can be applied practically in any day and age.

Ayurveda has thus been passed down through the centuries as a complete healing system, evolving to meet the needs of the time, and yet remaining committed to its core principles. Various cultures have drawn upon the ideas of Ayurvedic medicine, and it continues to thrive in both the East and the West. In India, an Ayurvedic physician must undergo at least a 5 year post-graduate degree program (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) to become qualified. In the West, Ayurveda is recognized as a Complementary and Alternative Health System by the National Institutes of Health, and is blossoming in various educational institutions.

Basic Principles of Ayurveda

While Ayurvedic principles can be used to explain the complexity of not only health, but also the world around us, there are several simple basics that become the building blocks for everything else:

• Ayurveda’s fundamental approach to well-being is that you must reach your unique state of balance in your whole being—body, mind, and spirit.• Ayurveda views the world in light of 3 constitutional principles: vata, pitta, and kapha. These are explained in more detail below.

• The first line of defense in combating imbalances is to remove the cause of the problem. If the trouble-maker is out of the picture, the body starts being able to heal itself. For example, if pollutants are bothering your nasal passages and sinuses, rinse them out with a traditional Ayurvedic remedy, the neti pot.

• If there are any lingering imbalances after removing the inciting cause, then bring balance by using opposites. For example, the Ayurvedic remedy to excess heat is to use something cooling. So for excess heat or acidity in the digestive system, you could use cooling and soothing herbs like aloe and cilantro.

• Always support the digestive fire, so that nutrition can be absorbed and waste materials can be eliminated.

Vata, Pitta, and Kapha: Your Viewing Lenses

Once you put on the lens of Ayurveda and see things in terms of vata, pitta, kapha, and combinations thereof, the whole world comes alive in a new way. Look at the world around you! The doshas take form in endlessly interesting ways.

Vata: Composed of air and space, vata is dry, light, cold, rough, subtle/pervasive, mobile, and clear. As such, vata regulates the principle of movement. Any bodily motion—chewing, swallowing, nerve impulses, breathing, muscle movements, thinking, peristalsis, bowel movements, urination, menstruation—requires balanced vata. When vata is out of balance, any number of these movements may be deleteriously affected.

Pitta: Pitta brings forth the qualities of fire and water. It is sharp, penetrating, hot, light, liquid, mobile, and oily. Pitta’s domain is the principal of transformation. Just as fire transforms anything it touches, pitta is in play any time the body converts or processes something. So pitta oversees digestion, metabolism, temperature maintenance, sensory perception, and comprehension. Imbalanced pitta can lead to sharpness and inflammation in these areas in particular.

Kapha: Kapha, composed of earth and water, is heavy, cold, dull, oily, smooth, dense, soft, static, liquid, cloudy, hard, and gross (in the sense of dense or thick). As kapha governs stability and structure, it forms the substance of the human body, from the skeleton to various organs to the fatty molecules (lipids) that support the body. An excess of kapha leads to an overabundance of density, heaviness, and excess in the body.

Your Unique Constitution

The key to Ayurvedic wellness and healing is the knowledge that health is not a “one size fits all” proposition. One must understand the unique nature of each person and situation, taking into account the individual, the season, the geography, and so on.

Each person has an Ayurvedic constitution that is specific to him or her, and movement away from that constitution creates health imbalances; if such imbalances are not addressed, Ayurveda says that illness may develop. So, the early signs of imbalance serve as a wakeup call to make gentle and natural shifts in behavior to return to balance—such as adjusting diet, modifying daily activities and taking herbal remedies for a time.

Determining your prakriti—your fundamental balanced constitution—requires an assessment of your most natural state. Consider your physical structure as well as mental and emotional tendencies. Remember to think of what is most natural to you, rather than what you’re like when you are stressed or ill. Ayurveda says you can understand your basic nature and tendencies by understanding your balanced state.

Dosha imbalances (your vikruti, or current condition) can manifest in various stages, from a general feeling of “something is not right” all the way to diagnosed illnesses with serious complications. To address this, Ayurveda presents a vast toolbox of treatment modalities to choose from; but whatever the treatment, the goal is to reestablish your natural balance of vata, pitta, and kapha.

To determine your balanced constitution and your current condition, take the free quiz on our website at: www.FernLifeCenter.com.

Ayurveda and Remedies

Ayurveda offers a number of ways to balance doshas and find your well-being. The key is to find balance with a wholistic approach—addressing mind, body, and spirit. Ayurvedic remedies draw on a number of modalities:

• Diet modifications• Lifestyle and Activity adjustments

• Herbal Supplements

• Yoga, Pranayama (Breath Techniques), and Meditation

• Marma (Energetic Pressure Points)

• Cleansing Processes, such as Panchakarma

• And much more!

Our website also offers tips from Keesha Ewers and Gillian Ehrlich on balancing vata, pitta, and kapha. To learn more about an individualized approach for you, consider visiting an Ayurvedic practitioner in your area or visit or call Fern Life Center: (425) 391-3376. Both Keesha and Gillian do phone consultations with clients from all over the world.

Here is the link to watch the documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdbMGiTJltM

The college student’s bio is below:

Collin is a junior political science major at Linfield College. He owes his passion for the natural world to his family upbringing. The family would all go on 2-3 day backpacking trips every summer and snowshoeing trips in the winter. His interest in environmental activism first began when he was plugged into Greenfield, the environmental club at Linfield College. With the help and guidance of passionate upperclassman, he was able to learn more about the social and environmental issues that not only affect individual communities, but the global community as a whole. He spent 3 days in Washington DC last spring at the PowerShift conference where 10,000 youth congregated in solidarity, watching keynote speeches from Al Gore and Van Jones, as well as getting intensive training on how to organize campaigns in their own communities. After watching the documentary Tapped, which examines the external costs of the bottled water industry, he had found an issue he wanted to focus on.

*This college student is my son. I would write this blog and post this documentary no matter who had done the film though. Please pass it on!

The following article was published in Reader’s Digest in February of 2008. There are more up to date statistics now that show a 45% rate of public water being bottled rather than the 25% stated in this article. The point is, we have been being told this for many years and we are still buying water in plastic bottles thinking it’s a healthy choice.

Remember the drinking fountain, that once ubiquitous, and free, source of H2O? It seems quaint now. Instead, bottled water is everywhere, in offices, airplanes, stores, homes and restaurants across the country.We consumed over eight billion gallons of the stuff in 2006, a 10 percent increase from 2005. It’s refreshing, calorie-free, convenient to carry around, tastier than some tap water and a heck of a lot healthier than sugary sodas. But more and more, people are questioning whether the water, and the package it comes in, is safe, or at least safer than tap water — and if the convenience is worth the environmental impact.

What’s in That Bottle?

Evocative names and labels depicting pastoral scenes have convinced us that the liquid is the purest drink around. “But no one should think that bottled water is better regulated, better protected or safer than tap,” says Eric Goldstein, co-director of the urban program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting health and the environment.

Yes, some bottled water comes from sparkling springs and other pristine sources. But more than 25 percent of it comes from a municipal supply. The water is treated, purified and sold to us, often at a thousandfold increase in price. Most people are surprised to learn that they’re drinking glorified tap water, but bottlers aren’t required to list the source on the label.

This year Aquafina will begin stating on labels that its H2O comes from public water sources. And Nestlé Pure Life bottles will indicate whether the water comes from public, private or deep well sources. Dasani acknowledges on its website, but not on the label itself, that it draws from local water.

Labels can be misleading at best, deceptive at worst. In one notorious case, water coming from a well located near a hazardous waste site was sold to many bottlers. At least one of these companies labeled its product “spring water.” In another case, H2O sold as “pure glacier water” came from a public water system in Alaska.

Lisa Ledwidge, 38, of Minneapolis, stopped drinking bottled water a couple of years ago, partly because she found out that many brands come from a municipal supply. “You’re spending more per gallon than you would on gasoline for this thing that you can get out of the tap virtually for free,” she says. “I wondered, Why am I spending this money while complaining about how much gas costs? But you don’t ever hear anyone complain about the price of bottled water.” Ledwidge says she now drinks only filtered tap water.

The controversy isn’t simply about tap vs. bottled water; most people drink both, knowing the importance of plenty of water. What they may not know is that some bottled water may not be as pure as they expect. In 1999 the NRDC tested more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of water. (This is the most recent major report on bottled water safety.) While noting that most bottled water is safe, the organization found that at least one sample of a third of the brands contained bacterial or chemical contaminants, including carcinogens, in levels exceeding state or industry standards. Since the report, no major regulatory changes have been made and bottlers haven’t drastically altered their procedures, so the risk is likely still there.

The NRDC found that samples of two brands were contaminated with phthalates, in one case exceeding Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for tap water. These chemicals, used to make plastic softer, are found in cosmetics and fragrances, shower curtains, even baby toys, and are under increasing scrutiny. They’re endocrine disrupters, which means they block or mimic hormones, affecting the body’s normal functions. And the effects of exposure to the widespread chemicals may add up.

When exposed to high levels of phthalates during critical developmental periods, male fetuses can have malformed reproductive organs, including undescended testicles. Some experts link phthalates to low sperm counts.

Water bottles do not contain the chemical, which means the phthalates detected by the NRDC probably got into the water during processing at the bottling plant, or were present in the original water source (phthalates have been found in some tap water).

Bottled water is regulated for safety, but it’s a tricky thing. The EPA regulates tap water, while the FDA oversees bottled. Yet FDA oversight doesn’t apply to water packaged and sold within the same state, leaving some 60 to 70 percent of bottled water, including the contents of watercooler jugs, free of FDA regulation, according to the NRDC’s report. In this case, testing depends on the states, but the NRDC found that they often don’t have adequate resources to oversee bottled water, in some cases lacking even one full-time person for an entire state.

The FDA requires bottlers to regularly test for contaminants, but the agency considers bottled water a low-risk product, so plants may not be inspected every year. According to one FDA official, it’s the manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure that the product complies with laws and regulations. Some bottlers turn to NSF International, a trade group that conducts yearly unannounced inspections of plants, looking at the source of the water and the treatment process, and testing for contaminants. Other companies belong to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), which also performs annual unannounced tests to ensure the plant is up to FDA standards. IBWA has its own regulations, some of which are stricter than the FDA’s.

Bottlers don’t have to let consumers know if their product becomes contaminated, but sometimes they pull their products from stores. In fact, between 1990 and 2007, this happened about 100 times, says Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California. Among the reasons for recall: contamination with mold, benzene, coliform, microbes, even crickets.

From Halloween to Easter, we can literally slip into the emotional shadows, often with the added burdens of overeating and unneeded weight gain. What distinguishes those of us who get the winter blues from those who love winter coziness? The deciding factor is typically our brains supply of its most potent natural anti-depressant, serotonin. Serotonin production is stimulated by light, so the brighter the day the more serotonin our brains produce. Exercise can also raise our serotonin levels, but it’s hard to go out and exercise when you’re depressed and it’s dark and cold outside.

Many people have discovered other ways to force a brief serotonin boost, using sweet and starchy carbohydrates, alcohol, or drugs like Prozac. But the obvious drawbacks of these strategies include diabetes, heart disease, addiction and obesity (to name only a few). Fortunately, there are much safer and more reliable ways to bring out your internal sun.

• Boost your serotonin in 24 hours with 5-HTP. Try 50 to 150 mg of 5-HTP mid-afternoon (as the sun sinks) and again at 10 p.m. (if sleep or late night cravings are a problem). Why? 5-HTP converts directly into mood and appetite regulating serotonin, which is converted, at night, into sleep-promoting melatonin.
• Never skip a meal. Eating three solid meals a day helps prevent moodiness and carbohydrate cravings.
• Eat a meal before you drink any beverages containing caffeine. Caffeine suppresses serotonin and ruins your appetite for mood and appetite regulating low carbohydrate foods like protein and vegetables. Use L-tyrosine (500 – 1000 mg) anytime you would typically use caffeine for a lift, to stop caffeine cravings and make yourself naturally alert.
• Eat plenty of protein at every meal. For example: 4- 6 oz. dark turkey meat, a 4- 6 oz. salmon steak, three small lamb chops, a chicken breast, a cup of cottage cheese, an omelet, or a steak.
• Eat at least four cups of colored vegetables a day. Salads, stir-fry, sautés, raw vegetable snacks - the amount that would fill a quart size milk carton.
• Exercise right before facing high carbohydrate hurdles like parties, potlucks, buffets, and dinners. Fifteen to twenty minutes of fast walking, or dancing to a few songs on the radio before you shower, or any other sweat-producing exercise helps to stop cravings and improves mood by raising serotonin.
• Sit near a bright indoor light source (at least 200 watts or 2500 lumen). My favorite therapeutic lamp is the full spectrum "Combo Box" by American Environmental (3000 to 33,000 lumens!)
• Check your Vitamin D levels (the blood test to do this is called a "25 OHD"). This sunshine vitamin also supports winter mood. Look for levels between 45 and 65.

Try additional supplements for eliminating your winter sweet tooth 500-1000 mg L-glutamine between meals, plus chromium (800 mc/day, in three meals) and a good multi-vitamin/mineral will also help keep your blood sugar levels solid to eliminate the low blood sugar munchies.

Each of the four mood areas in your brain needs a different amino acid fuel. The lower your access to amino fuel, the more bad mood symptoms you develop. The four emotion-generators in your brain are actually called neurotransmitters. Each one powers a different emotional zone in your brain and each has a distinctly different effect on your mood:

• The Dark Cloud of Depression
  If you’re high in serotonin – you’re positive, confident, flexible, and easy-going.
  If you’re sinking in serotonin – you’ll tend to become negative, obsessive, worried, irritable, and sleepless.
• The Blahs
  If you’re high in catecholamines – you’re energized, upbeat, and alert.
  If your catecholamines have crashed – you’ll sink into a flat apathetic funk.
• Anxiety and Stress
  If you’re high in GABA – you’re relaxed and stress-free.
  If there’s a gap in your GABA – you’ll be wired, stressed, and overwhelmed.
• Oversensitive Feelings
  If you’re high in endorphins – you’re full of cozy feelings of comfort, pleasure, and euphoria.
  If you’re near the end of your endorphins – you’ll be crying during commercials and overly sensitive to hurt.

You can replenish any deficiency in your own neurotransmitters using the amino acids

Remember that there are contra-indications for taking amino acids to treat your mood issues, so make sure you only do it under the supervision of a medical provider who is familiar with amino acids and how to use them. For example: Someone with Hashimotos’ Thyroiditis can become jittery taking L-Tyrosine or L-Phenylalanine. In rare cases, glutamine might raise blood sugar in diabetics and in approximately 50% of bi-polar cases L-glutamine can trigger mania, while low doses can sometimes relieve bi-polar depression without triggering mania. (SAM-E, St. John's Wort, bright therapeutic lamps, and too much fish or flax oil may also trigger mania.)

Good fats are one of the sources for replenishing the brain. We need good-mood fats! One of the most spectacular is omega-3 and its first home is your brain. By far the best sources are wild salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, and mackerel. They have about three times more omega-3 than other fish and five times more than flax seed oil. To get enough of the vital omega-3 fats, you'll need to eat fish more often. The Japanese still eat two and a half pounds of fish weekly, and their depression rates have been nil (as have their heart disease rates).

Another extraordinary good-mood fat is the creamy saturated fat we've been avoiding all these years, like ghee and coconut oil, actually protect the omega-3s in our brain. Eating more fish oil and SATs replaces the bad mood fats like the rancid vegetable oils (e.g., corn, soy, canola) so overloaded with troublesome omega-6 fat.

Neurotransmitter testing can tell you which of your pathways might be off so it can be fixed directly. It’s an easy test consisting of saliva and urine testing. Even Medicare pays for this test, so your insurance company might also.

Here’s to a happy holiday season and winter here in the Pacific Northwest!

We live in a time when “one size fits all” diet books become New York Times bestsellers because so many people are looking for the “quick fix” to their weight, fatigue and inflammation problems. Remember that we are not all the same. Each of us is an individual. Usually weight issues are caused from several different factors, with stress being the root cause of all of them. To give you an idea here are some ways to break fatigue, weight, mood, and inflammation issues down. Take the following quizzes, from Marcelle Pick, ARNP, and see where you are:

1= strongly disagree
2= mostly disagree
3= mostly agree
4= strongly agree

Digestive Sensitivities

Hormonal Imbalances

Adrenal Imbalance

Neurotransmitter Imbalance

Inflammatory Issues

Detoxification Issues

Tally your scores here:

Digestive Sensitivities                    _______________

Hormonal Imbalance                      _______________

Adrenal Imbalance                           _______________

Neurotransmitter Imbalance      _______________

Inflammatory Issues                     ________________

Detoxification Issues                      ________________

Compare your scores. If you scored 12-20 on any chart, you do not need immediate attention in this area. A score of 20-30 means the imbalance may be contributing to your weight gain, but may not be the primary cause. 30-48 means this imbalance needs your attention now. If there is a score that is significantly higher than the others, that is the issue to work with. If there are overlapping high scores (which is very common), the good news is that healing one of the imbalances will usually start healing in the other regions as well. If digestive sensitivities is one of your higher scores always begin there.

To heal any of these issues, specialty diagnostic labs will likely be necessary. For example:

Digestive= a comprehensive stool analysis (CSA) plus the ALCAT test for food sensitivities.

Hormonal=an adrenal stress index (ASI) plus a salivary hormone panel and blood work

Adrenal imbalance=the ASI plus blood work

Neurotransmitter= neuro-endocrine testing

Inflammatory=ALCAT allergy testing and blood work and possibly a CSA

Detoxification= genotyping and blood work plus the ALCAT and CSA

Make an appointment at Fern Life Center with Keesha Ewers, ARNP for further testing and an individualized treatment plan and get your health back! Fern Life Center: (425) 391-3376 or www.fernlifecenter.com