562.795.6680
6423 Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, CA 90803

 
 

Home Fermenting Workshop June 24th at AWC  June 4, 2014

Fermenting Workshop

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Five Ways to Beat Your Cold  October 21, 2013

Cold and flu season is back and the flu shot is being heavily marketed to the public.  I don’t recommend my patients to get the flu vaccine for various reasons.  The flu vaccine for one hasn’t been shown to be particularly effective.  Here’s a link to some good research showing that.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001269.pub4/abstract;jsessionid=694839E2BB848717CA084A90DED53DA5.f03t03

There are however plenty of natural ways to beat that cold or flu virus.  The key is as soon as you feel symptoms coming on, you act to beat it.  Here’s how.

1) Increase your Vit. D levels

Vitamin D is a crucial hormone for turning your immune system on and off.  I try to get all my Vitamin D from natural sunlight.  When a cold is coming on, get yourself outside and in the sun.  If you’re not able to do that you can take a Vit. D3 oral supplement.  Sometimes taking 30000 IU’s of D3 for  a few days at the onset of a cold can knock it out before it starts.  Remember, vitamin D is formed using the sun and cholesterol.  Make sure your cholesterol levels aren’t abnormally low, such as when taking statins.

2) Use Natural Antibiotics

Garlic and oregano are a great example of food being medicine.  These foods work like broad spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses and protozoa in your body.  When I feel a cold coming on I immediately make a big pot of homemade Chicken Vegetable soup.  It’s loaded up with tons of garlic and oregano.  The cooked vegetables provide easily digested nutrition for your body and the chicken provides an amino acid called cysteine which helps thin mucous.

3) Avoid Sugars, Fructose and Processed Foods

Sugar impairs the function of your immune system almost immediately.  Cut these out to give your immune system a fighting chance.  One exception that I allow myself is a tablespoon of natural honey in my tea.

4) Use Healing Herbs and Vitamins for Extra Help

Andrographis is my favorite.  It is an Indian Ayurvedic herb which stimulates the immune system much like Echinacea and Holy Basil.  Zinc, Vitamin C, Bee Propolis, and Olive Leaf Extract are also go-to’s if the virus is especially stubborn.  One supplement we have at the center that has most of these ingredients in a capsule form is called Viracid by Orthomolecular.

5) Use Home Remedies to Stay Comfortable and Rested

My favorite remedy for a sore throat and congestion is: hot green tea or water mixed with a little honey, fresh lemon juice and cayenne powder.  The mixture soothes the throat and helps you to get a little rest.  Drink it as hot as you can stand it.

Dr. Paul Fuhrman D.C.

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Dr. Sese Novas Participates in National Study on Headache Treatment Options  October 14, 2013

[Long Beach, October 8, 2013)] – Local chiropractor Sese Novas participated in a 2013 national research study to investigate treatment options for patients who suffer from severe and chronic headaches. The study is being conducted by American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH).

“There are 28 million migraine sufferers in the United States,” said ASH Chief Health Services Officer and Executive Vice President Douglas Metz. “Headaches are more common than arthritis and diabetes combined, and cost the nation more than $20 billion annually. We appreciate the doctors who have participated in this effort to organize and communicate the currently available evidence based diagnostic and treatment options for patients who suffer from headache.”

ASH has collaborated with 174 providers from its network of contracted chiropractors, studying alternative treatment opportunities and best practices in chiropractic treatment options.

“I’m very pleased to collaborate on a research study that will determine more natural methodologies for helping people who suffer from headaches,” said Dr. Novas. “In my practice, I treat a great number of headache patients each year, many of whom suffer from tension or migraine headaches. Most are seeking more long-term relief that is less dependent on medication.”

Dr.  Novas has been a chiropractor in Long Beach for more than 20 years and treats hundreds of patients annually for neck, back, headache and other chronic pain issues.  She started her career in the Healing Arts as a Massage Therapist and then attended and graduated from Chiropractic College in 1993. She uses soft tissue techniques in her chiropractic treatments which greatly help in the reduction of frequency and intensity of headaches and other conditions. She can be found at the Advanced Wellness Center at the Marketplace. Phone number (562) 795-6680

Health tip: “Some headaches are precipitated by dehydration. If you feel a headache coming, drink a big glass of water” Dr. Novas

Dr Sese Novas D.C.

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New Tool for Carpal Tunnel, Tennis Elbow and Shoulder Pain Sufferers  August 29, 2013

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Homemade Deodorant Recipe  August 22, 2013

Easy Deodorant recipe that works AMAZINGLY!

 

6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot preferred)

 

Combine equal portions of baking soda and arrowroot powder or cornstarch.

Add coconut oil and mix with a spoon or hand blender until it is similar in texture to commercial deodorant.

~If the room temperature is warm this deodorant will be liquid. You can either apply with your fingers and store in a glass container, or place in an old deodorant container. You can keep it in the refrigerator and let sit out for a couple minutes before applying. This will keep it in a solid state.

~I’ve tried many natural deodorants and this works the best of all for me!

It keeps me smell free for about 24 hours!

 

Source: A friend!

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Join Dr. Arnette and Dr Vaughn for a Wellness Walk this Sunday  August 7, 2013

Click the link to for more details and to register:

http://www.drallenarnette.com/wellnesswalk/

Wellness Walk

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Tricks for Setting Goals  July 9, 2013

All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did.- Lawrence of Arabia

A dream becomes a goal as soon as it is written down.  Goal writing is a good way to keep yourself honest and on point when you have a dream you want to make a reality.  Most people have heard the importance of writing down goals but very few do it, the ones that do are the “dangerous” ones.  Here are a few tips that can be helpful when writing goals.

1)  Set an expiration date for the list of goals.

Rewrite your goals every three months or decide on an amount of time that will work for you and write the expiration date on the top of your list.  This gives you a time at the expiration date where you can look back and see what goals you’ve accomplished and which ones you want to keep working on.  Save your old “expired” goal lists.  It’s motivating to look back on years past and realize everything you’ve done.

2)  Divide the goals up into categories

On your list divide the goals up into four categories in the following order; Relationships, Recreation, Work, Financial.  This is in order of importance and under each category you will want to have one to two goals to work on.  Usually four goals to focus on is plenty.

3)  Make the goals as specific as possible.

Usually, this comes down to using numbers.  For example, under the Relationships goals, instead of saying “Make my wife feel more special” it would be better to say, “Take my wife out on a nice date at least one time per month.”  Under recreation instead of saying “Surf more” I would say “Surf 3 times a week for a minimum of one hour.”

4)  Vary difficulties in accomplishing the goal

I usually set one or two goals that I am almost certain to accomplish in the next three months and one or two that I would be really surprised if I could make happen.  The rest should be borderline achievable.  The goals you don’t achieve can be rolled over to the next 3 months or maybe you’ll discover they weren’t that important to you and you’ll drop them.

5)  Place the list in a place where you will see it every day.

The reason goal-writing works is because that list is always reminding you what your mission is.  Its important to remind yourself everyday particularly at the start of the day so you can have that mission in the back of your head.  A few good places to use are; taped to the bathroom mirror, taped to the steering wheel, and as a background on the computer.  Adding an inspiring quote which gets you pumped up for the day to the bottom of the goals can be helpful too. This is a great way to start the day.  It reminds you of what’s important and what’s not, why you are here and where you want to go.

6)  Vocalize your goals to other people

Peer pressure can be very motivating.  No one wants to be proven wrong or have to hear “I told you so.” When you tell someone a goal, you are risking that person you told knowing you failed.  This can help strengthen your resolve to see your goal through. Welcome both positive and negative reactions when you vocalize.  It’s always nice having someone pulling for you but sometimes proving a doubter wrong is a little sweeter.  Once when planning a big life decision I had an acquaintance tell me that I was making “a huge and financially irresponsible mistake.”  This reaction was just what I needed to resolve to make that decision work and prove him wrong.

7) Find yourself a trinket

I get made fun of for this one but I swear it works.  An author named Captain Fatty Goodlander came up with this idea in one of his books and I’ll paraphrase/quote how he explains it.  “Find something that easily fits in your pocket.  Remember those old pot-metal Monopoly pieces? Something like that.  It has to be small and it is best if it is cheap.  I want you to carry it with you as a concrete symbol of your future.  I also want you to pull it out every time you take out your pocket change or reach for your keys — to remember that you have a choice on how to spend your money.  Is it Friday night and you want a beer? Fine have one.  But when you reach into your pocket for that next one, notice that trinket and ask yourself, “What do I really want to do — drink tonight or realize my goals tomorrow?”  Life is filled with choices.  You have to decide what your priorities are”

This little trick works for all types of goals, not just money ones.

Dr. Paul Fuhrman D.C.

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Looking for new stretches that will release tension in common pain areas?  June 28, 2013

Piriformis stretch

While seated, cross one leg over the other so your heel is on the thigh of the opposite leg, with the foot on the floor, lift your heel so you’re on your toes and lean forward, keep your back tall and straight, chest to toe of the “up” leg.  Hold for 20-30 seconds, perform 3 times

Beginning of Piriformis stretchPiriformis stretch

Iliopsoas (Psoas) stretch

Kneel on your back leg, squeeze your buttocks and push your hip down and out towards the ground in front of you.  3 sets of holding  20-30 seconds.

Start of psoas stretchBeginning of psoas stretch 2

Scalene Stretch (3 parts for the front scalene, middle scalene and back scalene)

Part 1: Sit or stand tall, bring left ear to left shoulder, use your left hand to provide a little more pressure, touching the right temple.  Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides (right ear, right shoulder, right hand on left temple.  Perform 3 times on each side (Stretches the middle scalene)Middle scalene

Part 2) Sit tall and bring your right ear to your right shoulder blade.  Place your right hand on the left side of your forehead to provide a deeper stretch.  Hold 20-30 seconds, then switch sides. (stretches the front (anterior) scalene)

Anterior scalene

Part 3) Sit tall, bring your right ear to the front of your right shoulder and look down, place your right hand on the back of the left side of your head and pull gently until you feel a stretch.  Hold 20-30 seconds and switch to the opposite side.  Perform 3x each side. (Back (posterior) scalene)

Posterior scalene

Dr Rebecca Bomgaars

Doctor of Chiropractic

DR RB

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Can Vitamins Be Harmful to Your Health?  June 17, 2013

Earlier this year a new recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force stated that postmenopausal women should refrain from taking calcium supplements.  This came after several studies linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attack.

This type of thing has happened in the past. There have been studies that have shown that multi vitamin takers do not live as long as non multi vitamin takers.  Other studies have bashed beta-carotene because it increased the risk of lung cancer in smokers..

What’s a person supposed to do, take vitamins or not?

In my opinion a pill is a pill.  If you are taking a vitamin to “fix” something in your body, it’s no different than taking a medication as a quick fix to an ailment.  Healing doesn’t come from pills, it comes from changing how you eat, what type of physical activity you are doing, and how you are managing your stress and emotions.  The body works best by deriving what it needs from food and the environment not pills.  “Let food be thy medicine” as Hippocrates put it.

So using this approach, if you were worried about not getting enough calcium you could Google foods that were high in calcium and begin to incorporate them into your daily meals.  If you were worried about getting enough Vitamin D you could expose yourself to more sunshine.  With the internet you could figure this out for just about any vitamin you were interested in.  If you want higher doses, than juicing or blending these foods and herbs into smoothies could allow you to eat a larger amount.

Spend the money on the quality organic foods.  There is a difference.  Don’t believe me?  Go buy a dozen of the cheapest, conventionally produced eggs you can find and also pick up a dozen of quality organically produced eggs.  Crack one of each open.  Notice how much harder it is to crack the organic egg.  You really have to whack it to get it to break. It’s strong and resilient.  Also notice the color of the yokes.  The organics are such a richer and deeper yellow.  Comparing strawberries can be eye-opening too. Conventionally grown strawberries taste like cardboard after you taste the organics.

There are exceptions to where pills can be helpful.  If you aren’t able to eat certain healthy foods or can’t get outside to get sunshine this would be an area where supplementing could be considered..  With someone who is very sick, has absorption issues or just plain doesn’t want to eat healthy, a pill is also a useful way to do some good in a faster amount of time.  Finally, in times where there is acute pain or an oncoming cold/flu, taking vitamins for a short period of time can be beneficial.  The key here is short term though, not lifelong.

The bottom line is that if you are healthy, focus on your eating rather than spending money on those vitamins.  I always find it funny when you see pills advertising cinnamon, garlic, oregano, ginger, turmeric and all these other great tasting spices.  Those spices taste great in food.  Why would you deprive yourself of that wonderful meal by popping a tasteless capsule.  Nature intended us to get it this way.  It’s way more enjoyable eating for health rather than swallowing pills for it and by the research it appears to be safer.

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5 Ways to Make Your Bathroom Healthier and Greener  May 28, 2013

1)  Choose natural deodorants over antiperspirants

Sweating, is one of our body’s ways of eliminating unwanted wastes and toxins.  Does it make sense to shut this pathway off and keep these unwanted substances inside?  Antiperspirants do just that by using aluminum or other compounds to block sweat ducts.  Deodorants work by only using scents to cover up the smell of sweat.  Always pick a deodorant over an antiperspirant.

Also, any chemical applied directly to your skin every day for years will ultimately have an effect on your body.  For this reason, try to use natural scents derived from benign herbs or mineral salts.  Give your body time to adapt to the change.  I sweated a great deal for the first few weeks after going off an antiperspirant.  After that the sweat production dropped off.  I believe this overproduction was a “rebound” effect from the antiperspirants constantly blocking the body’s ability to excrete.

2)  Experiment with coconut oil

Coconut oil is our wonder drug at home.  The natural fatty acids have antimicrobial properties which make the oil great for any rashes or pimples on the skin.  It also serves as a great moisturizer, especially after a sunburn or a shave and can be used as a pre-shower conditioner on the hair as well.  We cook with it and put it in smoothies as it is just as healthy on the inside as on the outside.  Pacific Islanders have been using coconut oil for thousands of years in ways similar to how ancient Mediterranean populations have used olive oil.  Make sure you buy organic.

3)  Try Natural Toothpaste

In his landmark book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, dentist Weston A Price visited populations of native peoples who had not yet converted to the modern Western diet of flour and sugar.  When examining these native people, most had no cavities and had never brushed their teeth.  Due to this I believe diet is probably a bigger driver of cavities than dental hygiene, yet teeth brushing is still important

Just like deodorants and antiperspirants, toothpaste is a substance that will be put in your mouth two times a day everyday for the rest of your life.  Obviously we want to be careful with any substances we are using this regularly.  At home we use a brand which is fluoride-free, uses bamboo powder, baking soda and silica to scrub the teeth, and peppermint oil to flavor the paste.

4)  Save the earth, say no to disposable razors

Disposable razors are in my opinion a ridiculous waste of money and resources.  Most plastic razors and empty cans of shaving cream are thrown away on a weekly or monthly basis to be dumped in a landfill where they will never decompose.  Also the prices on razor head replacements such as Mach 5 etc. are exorbitant.  I got mad and switched to an old-fashioned safety razor. For $30 on Amazon I bought the safety razor, 100 disposable blades, and a shaving soap and brush kit.  The single stainless-steel blades last for 2 weeks to a month and can then be recycled.  With 100 blades, I have well over 6-8 years of shaving to do before I have to re-buy and in my opinion I get a better shave.  One note, using a safety razor is a skill, so give yourself a couple weeks for you and your skin to adapt to the change.

5)  Get a bidet

You can laugh at this one.  I sure did when I first read about it on the Mercola.com newsletter.  The truth is that most of the rest of world is laughing at us and our method of cleaning up.  Seriously, a bidet can be a great addition to a bathroom for someone who has issues with hemorrhoids, is pregnant or overweight, or just wants to be cleaner.  You also save a few trees and a load of money on toilet paper.  I purchased one on Mercola.com for $60 which mounts to your existing toilet.  The install is very simple and straightforward and does not require a plumber.  Overall, I’ve been happy with the buy and I am now laughing at all of you 🙂

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Paul Fuhrman, DC

Doctor of Chiropractic

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