Alter Life

Have you ever experienced a pit in your stomach? The feeling of "butterflies?" How about the heaviness of dread carried like a weight inside?

Of course the stomach plays a huge role in digestion of food stuff - or at least the important beginning stages of the long digestive process. We talked all about optimizing the upper digestive processes including balancing hydrochloric acid levels in episode #337 on Medicinal Monday.

The energy center of the stomach, solar plexus or 3rd Chakra, is also associated with digesting and assimilating LIFE. How we take in, feel, and integrate our life experiences to then be assimilated as creative energy to manifest our desires and purpose in life.

Blockage of this digestive energy center can cause or exacerbate physiologic imbalances in the microbiome, digestive enzyme production, and peristaltic action of digestive organs that causes gut issues.

Optimizing the energy of the solar plexus not only supports healthy digestive fire, but also empowers us to tap into innate creativity and wisdom to leverage our alchemical power, transforming inner experiences in service to our soul's evolution.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode on 3rd Chakra and DIGESTION...

• How psychologic or physiologic stress blocks vagus nerve activity to shut down stomach function and enzymatic activity necessary for digestion
• The acute and chronic manifestations of stress on digestion and what we can do to ease tension in the gut
• Empowering opportunities that stomach and digestive issues present to our soul's evolution
• How we can wake up the solar plexus energy center to support digestive fire and personal creativity
• Why 99% of stomach and digestive issues will never be fixed with prilosec, probiotics, tums, enzymes, or any other remedy - but rather embodiment of our full multidimensional nature

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth 
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

We're finally talking digestion - a critical component to health in so many ways!

In reality, digestion starts before we even encounter food. The thought of food in a grounded state of mind triggers salivation and release of enzymes in stomach, pancreas, and intestines. Of course we then sit down to eat, chew, and swallow before a bolus of food moves through the esophagus and into the stomach.

When we consider optimizing digestion, it is important to do so from the "top - down." That is, focusing on mindset, mouth, esophagus, and stomach before the pancreas, liver, small intestines, and colon.

We can't talk about the stomach without discussing ACID - hydrochloric acid, that is! It's the acidic pH of the stomach that helps digest proteins, neutralize potential pathogens, and create the contents that will ultimately be further digested and absorbed in the intestines.

In today's Medicinal Monday episode we discuss the important action steps to keep stomach acid HIGH to optimize digestion/absorption and avoid common ailments such as esophageal reflux (GERD) that plague so many!

As always, you can join us live each Monday at 12 PT / 3 ET on the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's episode on STOMACH Health...

• Low stomach acid (Hypochlorhydria) is a major contributor to GERD, IBS, SIBO, malabsorption issues, and so much more
• How high protein foods and stress directly weaken stomach function to cause digestive issues
• Healthy levels of stomach acid help to keep lower esophageal sphincter (LES) closed to prevent reflux/GERD
• What causes gastritis (inflammation of stomach lining) and how to allow the stomach to heal itself naturally
• Some of the best foods, herbs, and "practices" to promote healthy stomach function and set the stage for optimal digestive health

Links to some more good stuff
- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

The lungs represent our ability to take in life, to breathe life force energy, the essential energetic substance required to maintain vitality.

In this human experience of life, we have the opportunity to also take in and feel the full rainbow of emotions. Joy, sorrow, peace, compassion, anger, love, greed, grief, envy, anxiety, and absolutely everything in between...

We are designed to fully feel these emotions - energy in motion through the body and mind.

When faced with difficult feelings, emotional energy can become stuck. Conscious or not, the stagnant energy can cause or exacerbate any number of physiologic conditions.

It just so happens that grief is the emotion most associated with chronic lung conditions. Most adults who suffer with asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or other lung and breathing issues can identify with this grief...

Lung problems involve depression, tiredness, fear of taking in life, or not feeling worthy of living.

Tune in as we explore these deep topics in this week's Wisdom Wednesday.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode on HEART ENERGY...

• The brain-lung connection and the lung brain connection - how to navigate this two-way street between lungs and the autonomic nervous system
• The emotional/energetic patterns that may contribute to lung issues, including grief, depression, feeling unworthy, and the the suppression on these feelings. 
• How we find freedom in fully feeling, embracing, integrating, and transcending stuck emotions
• Our emotions are like weather patterns - nothing to control or manage but rather understand and accept
• The psychological immune system empowers us to relate to our emotions in a healthy way, trusting that alllll thoughts and emotions pass

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth 
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

When suffering with chronic lung conditions, it's not so common to consider food choices and nutritional status as important factors in prevention and healing.

Air quality/pollution, smoking, and environmental toxin exposure are the much more traditional risk factors for lung conditions like lung cancers, COPD, and asthma.

BUT, nutritional status is SO huge for so many reasons.

Today we overview some of the empowering nutritional science that demonstrates the role whole food plant based eating has in both preventing and reversing the most common chronic lung conditions.

When we understand the mechanisms of the diseases like COPD, asthma, and of course cancer, it's plain to see how optimizing nutritional status can play a huge part in reducing oxidative stress, eliminating chronic inflammation, and balancing immune status to defend against both acute respiratory illness (like pneumonia, which is actually responsible for a large number of deaths annually, especially amongst elderly) as well as the chronic and debilitating conditions.

As always, you can join us live each Monday at 12 PT / 3 ET on the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's episode on Heart Health...

• How hidden toxins in air can irritate lungs and cause oxidative damage to set the stage for more chronic conditions
• How COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema) causes airway destruction overtime and clear ways to stop the progression of disease
• The common immune imbalance that is associated with asthma - airflow obstruction and the inability to properly ventilate lungs
• Specific constituents in foods that either promote healing or exacerbate dis-ease in lungs
• An inspiring testimonial of asthma reversal in an adult from whole food plant based eating and lifestyle healing

Links to some more good stuff
- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

There is so much to be said about the brain-heart & mind-heart connections!

Ancient medicine has always seen and understood the heart as our energetic center. Today, modern scientific research helps us visualize and comprehend the toroidal nature of our human energy field emanating from and converging into the heart space.

Organizations such as the HeartMath Institute (check out episode #138) are connecting the dots between the energetic or spiritual heart and the physiologic heart organ. Their research has shed light on how our physical and emotional behavior and feelings influence cardiac coherence and heart rate variability, two variables that powerfully predict health or dis-ease (you can also learn more about heart rate variability in episode #251) .

Of course, our collective intuitive understanding tells us  that the heart is associated with love, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, and JOY. Sometimes when we are immersed in these emotions we can feel real sensations involved with the energy of our heart opening. In our energetic body, the heart is our 4th chakra, or “anahata” chakra - “Anahata” is a sanskrit word translating to “unhurt, unstuck, and unbeaten."

When the heart chakra is balanced, we feel a healthy sense of love, joy, and connectedness to the world around us and the people within it. This also translates to a healthfully functioning heart in the body, along with smooth and balanced flow of blood and nutrients.

When the heart chakra is out of balance we may feel disconnected, a lack of joy, loneliness, hardening, distrusting, etc. While these unsettled feelings are involved with an energetic imbalance, they are also major contributing factors to heart-related conditions.

So much wonderful and uplifting stuff in today's episode!

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode on HEART ENERGY...

• How chronic stress impacts the functioning of what is arguably our most vital organ and the science behind a broken heart
• “Cardiac coherence” and how it affirms the ancient wisdom of traditional healing philosophies 
• Common signs, symptoms, and feelings of the heart chakra being in balance vs out of balance
• Where we can turn to reliably feel deeper connection with love, joy, and gratitude that opens the energy of the heart
• A reminder of the psychological immune system and how disconnection, lack of joy, pessimism can be cleared and balanced in an instant

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth 
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Imagine four 747 jumbo jets crashing in one day killing all passengers aboard. And then another four the next day. And then the next, and the next, day after day, year after year... Something would certainly be done to ensure better safety of the airplanes, the pilots, and passengers on board.

This is the death toll of heart disease in the United States alone, killing more than 800,000 annually. More than one in three deaths are attributed to heart disease, the most common killer in the western world.

The most wild part of this sad story is that all of these cases of heart disease are almost completely preventable, and even reversible!

It's not hyperbole to say this is the most important topic that we as a society can better understand to increase our longevity, productivity, and enjoyment of life.

A healthy heart fundamentally relies upon and works with a healthy vascular system which we talked all about in episode #319.

Today, we discuss all the factors at play in preventing and reversing heart attack, strokes, and cardiovascular disease including optimizing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, dissolving vascular inflammation, and keeping the autonomic nervous system balanced.

If we could sum this message up in one word it would be: PREVENTION. Prevention is so very important as 50% of all heart attacks occur with no prior signs or symptoms.

We want you to be heart attack proof - here's exactly how.

As always, you can join us live each Monday at 12 PT / 3 ET on the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's episode on Heart Health...

• A heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI) occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked, usually from a ruptured plaque, resulting in blocked blood flow and subsequent death of the heart muscle
• Elevated blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and endothelial dysfunction are the main physiologic contributors to heart disease
• The integral relationship between nutrient dense whole foods, vascular health, and balanced blood pressure
• What happens to blood cholesterol levels when we stop eating cholesterol and mind saturated fat intake
• Why it makes sense to eliminate added oils from the diet, especially if the goal is heart disease prevention and reversal
• The most powerful and important nutritional and lifestyle considerations to become heart attack proof - eliminate dietary cholesterol and mind saturated fat, increase nutrient-dense fiber-rich whole foods, balance potassium/sodium, move daily, breath to balance the nervous system

Links to some more good stuff
- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

The energy centers that have been defined in ancient medical texts actually align with major endocrine glands in the body. While we think of "energy" as it relates to the "energetic body" as being very subtle and therefore difficult to grasp. However, energy flow via the nervous system and circulatory system in these areas is in fact quite significant. Even the slightest impedance of electrical impulse from the nervous system or blood flow from the vascular system can have significant effects on the form and function of these endocrine glands which are so tightly regulated by hormonal messaging systems to and from the brain.

The thyroid gland is subject to imbalance more often than any other of the body's endocrine glands. Both "hypo" and "hyper" activity of the thyroid are mainly due to "auto-immune" causes. In other words, the actual cause of dysfunction is not very well understood, so the conventional medicine world simply labels these issues as "autoimmune" and then tells millions of people they must rely on drugs to manage their condition.

In Medicinal Monday (#331) we discussed some of the many potential causes to thyroid imbalance and how we can nourish ourselves in a way that supports the intricate endocrine system in naturally coming into balance.

In today's Wisdom Wednesday episode we discuss the deeper and arguably more important issues around the energetics of the thyroid gland.

Limitations in self-expression.
Holding oneself back.
Authentic communication.
Pursuing true passion and purpose.

When we open up to the natural flow of wisdom and creativity, we allow for deeper nourishment that no food, herb, or pill could ever offer.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode on Thyroid Energetics...

• The brain-body connection between chronic stress and thyroid issues
• The most probable energetic contributors to thyroid issues such as:
  - Lack of drive, feeling sluggish, numb, and disconnect from life’s purpose
  - Holding back and constantly trying to please others by carrying their burdens and worries
  - Stifled self expression
• The powerful medicine of connecting with innate wisdom, motivation, and following authentic inspiration
• How we can prioritizing authentic self-care rather than belittling oneself or constant people pleasing

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth 
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

The thyroid gland is like the boss at the power plant. It really doesn't do much itself to produce energy for the body, but without it, things could get messy real quick.

Workers failing to show up and do their jobs, all sorts of junk being left around, the wrong buttons and levers being pushed and pulled... these are the sort of things that could lead to rolling blackouts.

Just as the case in cities, everything in the body depends upon access to ENERGY.

Metabolism is the term given to the energy creating potential within each and every cell of the human body. The thyroid gland helps to set a sustainable metabolic rate, thus giving the body access to the energy required for regeneration, healing, and weight maintenance.

As with most things, the body is pretty darn good at keeping the intricate and complex processes in check to balance thyroid function and metabolic rate. However, when obstacles arise, they can be assessed, measured, and then experienced as imbalances in thyroid function.

Fatigue, sluggishness, stubborn weight gain, thinning hair, etc are classic oh low thyroid function (HYPOthyroidism), though interestingly enough, these signs and symptoms are also often related to unusually high thyroid function (HYPERthyroidism).

In today's episode we cover lots to empower you with the knowledge you need to let your thyroid balance itself naturally.

As always, you can join us live each Monday at 12 PT / 3 ET on the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's episode on THYROID...

• Thyroid basics including thyroid hormones released and their role to maintain balance in the body
• The most common nutritional deficiencies that can lead to both hypo and hyperthyroidism
• Why "autoimmune" hypo and hyperthyroidism are the most common causes, and what is really going on in the body
• The connections between environmental toxins, chronic viral infections, and stress with thyroid function
• The benefits and limitations of thyroid hormone replacement and what we can consider doing instead

Links to some more good stuff
- Get the Alter Health weekly WFPB Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Do you find yourself clearing your throat often or feeling constricted in your vocal expression?

The throat is our center for self-expression. It has everything to do with open, honest, and compassionate communication.

The energy that passes through the throat flows in line with the 5th chakra. Health issues like acute or chronic coughs, frequent URIs, hoarse voice or laryngitis, sore throat, swollen tonsils/lymph nodes, and also thyroid conditions (which we will discuss more in a future week) can certainly have an energetic cause related to self-expression.

These physical symptoms are spiritual opportunities to more deeply connect with and authentically express your true loving nature, unrestricted.

Honest, compassionate and articulate communication - being and sharing your authentic self - is at the heart of healthy 5th chakra energy and expressing your truth.

We discuss these juicy topics in today's Wisdom Wednesday.

Join the conversations live on YouTube every Wednesday: https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's WW episode on 5th Chakra and Expression...

• How stress impacts physiology related to throat health, breathing, and immunity
• The silly rules we make for ourselves around self-expression and speaking up
• How having difficult conversations and being compassionately confrontational can be strengthening and liberating
• Why our own self-judgment and criticism is the only thing that ever holds us back
• Walking the fine line between healthy sharing, venting, and expressing vs verbal abuse and rage

Links to some more good stuff

- Get weekly Meal Guides: https://www.alter.health/meal-guides
- Stay connected on Telegram: https://t.me/alterhealth 
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products

Sore throat, cough, congestion, headache, fatigue, body aches, fever...

There is no cure for the common cold.

In fact, these common symptoms associated with an acute upper respiratory infection (URI) ARE the cure to the common cold!

It is not a sign of ill-health to "come down with a cold" once or twice per year. In fact, allowing the immune system to adapt and evolve is very helpful and important to keeping things in balance.

However, more frequent URIs can be a nuisance, and also a potential indicator that the immune system is a bit taxed or out of balance.

In today's Medicinal Monday we discuss strategies to fortify the health of the mouth/throat and mucosal immunity to prevent upper respiratory symptoms while also discussing the powerful ways to support healing and balancing from these acute symptoms naturally.

As always, you can join us live each Monday at 12 PT / 3 ET on the Alter Health YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/alterhealth

Some highlights from today's episode on Throat and URI Symptoms...

• How the mouth and throat (and nose) are designed to neutralize and expel toxins and pathogens
• Why there is no cure for the common cold, and what we can focus on instead
• The nutritional and lifestyle factors that chronically put a strain on immunity to create more vulnerability
• How understanding terrain theory vs germ theory can empower us in health while also helping to make sense of objective reality
• The most effective natural remedies for URI symptoms including hydrotherapy, vitamin/nutrients, and herbal medicines

Links to some more good stuff
-  Join Alter Health on Locals: https://alterhealth.locals.com/
- Cleanse with Us during the next Alter Health Cleanse: https://www.alter.health/cleanse
- Work with us in the Thrive on Plants program: https://www.alter.health/thrive-on-plants
- ATTN Health Practitioners! Learn more and apply to the Plant Based Mind Body Practitioner Program: https://www.alter.health/pbmb-practitioner

Peace and Love.

Links to  more good stuff

- Work With Me - www.alter.health
- GREEN FORCE! - www.visfoods.co (use the code AlterLife for $10 off)
- Check out my favorite products - www.alter.health/products