Category Archives for "guest/interview"
Guru Jagat is the author of a fascinating new book entitled Invincible Living, which presents practical applications of Kundalini yoga in everyday life. Guru Jagat believes that everyone can practice these yoga techniques, as there should be no barrier to entry. Everyone wants to feel better and have more energy, and can do so through learning these practices.
Guru Jagat explains that Kundalini yoga emphasizes the idea that we all have a deep supply of energy, intelligence, and creativity within us. The practices detailed in the book provide examples of ways that we can access this wealth of energy.
One specific part of your life that can be improved through these practices is sleep, an area with which many people struggle. If you deal with insomnia, a breathing meditation called Satanama may help you unwind to go to sleep or improve your ability to fall back asleep upon waking up. This breathing exercise ties into parasympathetic nervous system, which allows your body to prepare for sleep.
Guru Jagat also discusses the importance of a power nap on an 11-minute cycle, as it provides complete refreshment. This can be especially useful for women, who may benefit more from shorter naps. She recommends setting a timer, lying down on your back, and breathing deeply to let your system recalibrate.
Another important exercise is the healthy, happy, holy meditation. This practice aims to put a positive resonance into our psyche by replacing negative talk and self-criticism. This involves inhaling through the nose, holding your breath, and repeating, “Healthy am I, happy am I, holy am I” three times. Focus on the positive, connect with your breathing, and release the negativity.
Invincible Living will help you incorporate these simple practices into your routine to improve your life. To learn more, visit www.gurujagat.com.
Maria Emmerich is a nutritionist and best-selling author whose new book, The 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse, includes both ketogenic information and recipes. She emphasizes a well-formulated ketogenic diet, and believes that if people try it for 30 days, they will feel amazing and will love the food.
Maria explains that ketosis is the process of transforming from a sugar burner to a fat burner through consuming moderate amounts of protein, healthy fats, and limiting carbohydrates. Making this transition will involve a sort of carbohydrate withdrawal for those who previously consumed a standard American diet. To manage this, Maria recommends ensuring appropriate hydration and possibly adding some salt to the diet, as our bodies will be lacking water and electrolytes. Simply find the right balance of all key nutrients.
Cutting out dairy products is also important, as it can cause allergies and raise blood sugar which can keep people from achieving their health goals. An overfeeding day is recommended once per week on the ketogenic diet. Consider boosting your calorie intake that day to 3,000, as this will trick the thyroid. Intermittent fasting is a natural state with ketosis, as it is a natural side effect of being satisfied. Mental clarity has also been associated with being in these fasted states.
Maria also recommends a detox from bad estrogens. Consistent alcohol consumption can cause estrogen dominance and may lead to restless sleep or anxiety. Chemicals in our makeup, lotions, and toiletries are also causing increased estrogen levels. These products should be avoided altogether to prevent the ingestion of these toxins which cannot be digested or eliminated properly.
To connect with Maria Emmerich or learn more about The 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse, visit www.mariamindbodyhealth.com.
Dr. Thomas Cowan is the author of a new book entitled Human Heart, Cosmic Heart, which introduces a new perspective on the role of the heart within the human body and how heart disease can be prevented.
Dr. Cowan explains that more than 90% of heart attacks are caused by a decrease in the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. Too much stress, high blood pressure, and diabetes are just a few factors that can also diminish the parasympathetic nervous system. When this is combined with a buildup of lactic acid in the heart, acidification of tissues or a breakdown of cells occurs, creating a heart attack.
In the book, Dr. Cowan has included the six principles within the Cowan Heart Diet, which will influence the three causes of heart disease: plaque, deterioration of microcirculation, and an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system.
To connect with Dr. Cowan, or to learn more about the book or heart disease, visit www.humanheartcosmicheart.com.
Miranda Esmonde-White is the author of Forever Painless, a new book that shows readers how to heal their bodies and live without pain. To live long, healthy lives, Miranda explains that we must do things differently than when we were younger. Mobility is a large component of this program.
One of the main reasons why people lack mobility is because they are experiencing chronic pain. Chronic pain is any pain that lasts more than three months. This has to do with the mechanical system of our bodies, which includes our bones, muscles, and connective tissue. When these components are out of balance, we will experience pain as a message that our bodies need a realignment. Though these issues can be fixed, many people will ignore the pain, which can be detrimental.
Miranda explains that reintroducing mobility through gentle movements is key. Our bodies are designed to move. When we stop, our connective tissue begins to harden, leaving us feeling stiff. By moving gently, the connective tissue won’t tear. Essentrics is an exercise program that emphasizes this style of movement, enabling the body to be fully mobile while rebalancing and realigning all 650 muscles.
The human body is self-healing machine, but we need to know how to trigger it to self-heal.
Gentle movements will allow the body to regain mobility and reduce pain. If the body is not in pain, it can strengthen and move freely. However, if the body is in pain, protective mechanisms will prevent you from gaining and may even cause damage. To connect with Miranda Esmonde-White, purchase Forever Painless, or learn more about Essentrics, visit www.essentrics.com.
Dr. Anna Lembke is the chief of addiction medicine and an assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also the author of the new book, Drug Dealer MD, which examines the layers of issues surrounding the prescription drug epidemic.
Dr. Lembke explains that the number of prescriptions for opioid prescription drugs quadrupled between 1999 and 2010. While attempting to better treat pain, the risk of overprescribing was underestimated, causing an epidemic involving a complex web of both patients and doctors.
Once addicted, the patient’s behavior is driven by a physiologic craving to use, causing them to go to great lengths to obtain the drug. Dr. Lembke describes several techniques that patients can use:
Dr. Richard Furman is a retired vascular surgeon and the author of the new book, Your Cholesterol Matters.
Dr. Furman explains that our total cholesterol is made up of LDL, bad cholesterol, and HDL, good cholesterol. If we’re not doing something about the high levels of LDL in our blood, this will negatively impact our arteries and our overall quality of life. This is because LDL acts as tiny splinters that get into the walls of arteries. On the other hand, HDL acts as a small police car that travels through arteries and plucks out and disposes of the LDL. Ideally, one would have a total cholesterol below 200, with LDL being below 100 and HDL being above 50.
If you’re trying to reach ideal cholesterol numbers, you should first try to reduce LDL through eating healthy. Medical literature has shown that there are bad fats that cause damage to arteries through LDL found in red meats, dairy, and fried foods. Studies show that if you cut out bad fats, but substitute sugar for those bad fats, that also hurts your arteries. Instead, you must substitute bad fats with good fats, such as fish, nuts, and olive oil.
In addition to reducing LDL, you can also increase HDL levels. This is achieved through losing weight if you are overweight and exercising regularly. These activities, when combined with eating an appropriate diet, will help to bring your cholesterol numbers into the ideal range.
The more you know about managing your cholesterol, the easier it is to adopt the lifestyle that will add years and quality to your life. To connect with Dr. Furman, you can email him at dfurman@samaritan.org.
Dr. Joan Vernikos is a well-known expert in stress and healthy aging, a former NASA researcher and administrator, and the author of the new book Designed to Move.
Dr. Vernikos explains that as our lives have become easier, we have been lulled into an abnormal existence of sitting, as our bodies are biologically designed to move. In the last five years, analyses from data show a relationship between sitting and a variety of health issues including cancer, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
Here are several tips on how to increase your movement and add to your overall health:
Awareness is the key. You can structure your life to incorporate new habits in the course of your day. Stand up in meetings, get up to get a drink of water, or walk over to someone instead of sending an email. Focus on frequency and consistency.
Designed to Move gives a basis of understanding of what our bodies should be doing, and what we can do to get back to that level of health and enjoyment. To connect with Dr. Joan Vernikos, visit www.joanvernikos.com.