Showing posts from January, 2018

A town of 3,200 was flooded with 21 million pain pills as addiction crisis worsened, lawmakers say

Over the past decade, nearly 21 million prescription painkillers have been shipped to a tiny town in West Virginia, a state where more people have overdosed on opioids and died than in any other in the nation. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has been investigating the opioid epidemic, recently revealed that 20.8 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills have […]

Related:
CDC director resigns because of conflicts over financial interests
CDC director resigns over conflicts with financial interests
A couple returned from vacation with itchy feet. Hookworms were tunneling through their skin.

CDC director resigns because of conflicts over financial interests

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned her position on Wednesday after just half a year because of "complex financial interests" that repeatedly forced her to recuse herself from the agency's activities and kept her from testifying before lawmakers on public health issues. According to a statement from the Health and […]

Related:
CDC director resigns over conflicts with financial interests
A couple returned from vacation with itchy feet. Hookworms were tunneling through their skin.
Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don’t understand

CDC director resigns over conflicts with financial interests

Director Brenda Fitzgerald, who joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only in midsummer, held "complex financial interests" that had repeatedly forced her to recuse herself from the agency's activities and kept her from testifying before lawmakers on public health issues. Her new boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, announced Wednesday morning […]

Related:
A couple returned from vacation with itchy feet. Hookworms were tunneling through their skin.
Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don’t understand
FDA wants to curb abuse of Imodium, ‘the poor man’s methadone’

Introduction

Average out-of-pocket cost for Medicare beneficiaries are expected to keep rising over the next decade when it will reach half of a senior's income.
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that out-of-pocket costs will increase from 41% of average per capita Social Security income in 2013 to 50% by 2030.
In its analysis of 2013 numbers, KFF said women paid 44% of their per capita income on out-of-pocket costs, which was more than men, who paid 38% on out-of-pocket costs. That’s expected to increase to 52% and 47% respectively by 2030.

Medicare helps pay for the health care needs of 59 million people ages 65 and over and younger people living with permanent disabilities. Yet, people with Medicare can face significant health-related out-of-pocket costs, including premiums, deductibles, cost sharing for Medicare-covered services, and costs for services Medicare does not cover, such as long-term services and supports and dental services. With half of all Medicare beneficiaries living on annual per capita income of less than $26,200, out-of-pocket health care costs can pose a challenge, particularly for beneficiaries with modest incomes and those with significant medical needs.

As one way of measuring health care affordability for people with Medicare, each year the Medicare Trustees estimate Medicare Part B and Part D premiums and cost sharing as a share of average Social Security benefits. This estimate, however, does not include other health-related costs, such as out-of-pocket spending on hospital and skilled nursing facility stays, supplemental insurance premiums, and costs for services not covered by Medicare. The estimate also does not include income from sources other than Social Security.

In this analysis, we assess the current and projected out-of-pocket health care spending burden among Medicare beneficiaries using a broad definition of health care expenses, and in relation to both per capita Social Security and total income. Our results suggest that rising health care costs pose significant affordability challenges for many people on Medicare today, particularly those with relatively low incomes who derive most of their income from Social Security, and that this burden can be expected to grow in the future. This analysis sets the context for understanding the implications of potential changes to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security that could shift more health care costs onto beneficiaries or reduce their future retirement income.

Tables:

Medicare Beneficiaries’ Out-of-Pocket Health Care Spending as a Share of Income Now and Projections for the Future

Medicare Beneficiaries’ Out-of-Pocket Health Care Spending as a Share of Income Now and Projections for the Future | The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

A couple returned from vacation with itchy feet. Hookworms were tunneling through their skin.

It started with an itch after a stroll on a Caribbean beach, but in just a few days it had morphed into a gut-churning travel nightmare. In mid-January Eddie Zytner and Katie Stephens, a couple from Windsor, Ontario, went on a vacation to Punta Cana, a resort town on the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic. At some […]

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Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don’t understand
FDA wants to curb abuse of Imodium, ‘the poor man’s methadone’
This flu season is on track to be the worst in nearly a decade

FDA wants to curb abuse of Imodium, 'the poor man's methadone'

The Food and Drug Administration is asking manufacturers of over-the-counter anti-diarrhea treatments to change the way they package their products in an effort to curb abuse by people with drug addictions. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement Tuesday that the agency was taking the “novel” action because of growing concerns that abuse of Imodium […]

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Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don’t understand
This flu season is on track to be the worst in nearly a decade
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year

The Wisdom of Doug Farrago, M.D. The Kobyashu Maru of Health Care

Physicians are people, too.

Dr. Farago is a family doctor, articulate and funny ! He takes a subject which is causing major problems in health care administration. Patients must know what has happened to physicians in the past twenty years.

He has adopted direct patient care to avoid the unsolvable Kobyashi Maru. He elaborates on the shell game of hospital administrators, creating chaos, confusion and distraction. Learn how he escaped from the jewel of the north and the pearl of the east. Incidentally he worked at a Federally Qualified Medical Center.

For my fellow colleagues, you are welcome to watch this video as well, and weep. I know there is not one of you who does not agree with Doug Farago M.D.

It ia not a good time for the United States, nor is it for medicine. However we will change it. After all we cure and conquer diseases now that were unmanageable in the past. No one can identify one particular even that changed everything. Those of us who are as old as I am remember certain events precipitated by laws which destroyed the freedom of patients while promising less expensive and more availability of health care. None of that proved to be true. Yet physicians protested, but did not revolt. The shell game was in progress.

Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don't understand

Actress Olivia Munn revealed on a podcast in 2016 that she had frozen her eggs. She was 35 at the time. “Every girl should do it,” she said confidently. “For one, you don't have to race the clock anymore. You don't have to worry about it, worry about your job or anything. It's there.” When […]

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This flu season is on track to be the worst in nearly a decade
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year
FDA panel rejects Philip Morris’s claims that new smokeless cigarette reduces harm

Putting My Body First

Hi, my loves.

I have been slowly coming back to life after my amazing Panchakarma experience at Surya Spa over the last two weeks, and I look forward to sharing all of the details with you. This is my first recap post and it’s mostly about inner musings and internal shifts that took place in my mind and soul, but especially in my body. The body is SO wise, the deepest well of knowledge, and I was able to be in such close symbiosis with it throughout this experience. It has been magical.

The PK experience was so unbelievably dear to my heart and really woke me up in a whole new way… in the sense that I’ve known I’ve needed to slow down for a long time now, but now I actually get it. Slowing down and living life more mindfully is not just something that I “should” do. Something to be achieved on a good day, or when there is time and space to do it.

No, it’s something I need to do for every aspect, every nook and cranny, every inch, of my health and wellbeing.

I came across my dear friend Ashley Neese’s post this afternoon (check it out, she’s wonderful) about putting her body first, and the title struck me. That is what I want to write about today. That’s the first insight that I want to share from my Panchakarma.

Putting My Body First

I know I am not the only people pleaser here. So many of us, especially my fellow HSP’s (Highly Sensitive People!), get great satisfaction from making others happy, being well-liked, going above and beyond for the people we love, etc. And the larger our circles are, the more people there are to squeeze into that equation.

Somewhere along the line, between having this blog for almost 5 years (!!!) and living in both New York & LA in my adult life, I have cultivated a really, amazingly, large circle. Including you, if you are reading this! My greater circle is expansive and incredible, thanks to the Internet, so there is never a shortage of love and support but also never a shortage of people pleasing to be done (only in my mind, of course — the reality could be far different if I let go of my own expectations and pressure I put on myself).

No matter what, I keep my core circle really tight — most of my best friends are people I have known since kindergarten and middle school. Between my family and friends, my Internet life, and people who I have met in this industry and along the way… I have found myself over the last few months (years, really, if I’m being totally honest) feeling like there will never, ever, be enough of me or enough time to please people & satisfy all agreements / commitments, or make everyone happy.

It started to eat away at me inside.

By December (right before I went to Bali) I was so overcommitted and crunched for time I had a very real complete nervous breakdown. I had to un-commit myself from pretty much everything I possibly could, and took the time in Bali to seriously unwind and reconnect to my core inner being. It was amazing and deeply healing, but I knew in my heart it was the very beginning of a long road of unwinding from the way I had been living my life.

Then I came back, and after the holidays I hit the ground running again. Or at least I tried. Then my body started showing me physical signs of shutting down. It started with eczema which then turned into full-body hives (from my head to my toes, including my face, and everywhere in between), a ton of inflammation on the inside that was seeping its way to the outside, massive gut health issues, and of course the uterine fibroid that I now couldn’t stop thinking about ever since learning that I had it.

A few weeks ago I was crying on the couch with both legs bleeding from the rash and my back so inflamed I couldn’t even sit down — and I was deciding whether or not to cancel a photo shoot for the next day. I mean… am I crazy?!? DUH on canceling the photo shoot. Jonathan sat me down (or stood me up, in this case) and said: “This is crazy. Will you please cancel everything until you are better?”

I knew he was right and everything from my body to my heart was crying out for me to just STOP. To put myself first. To disappoint a few people to in turn really, truly, deeply care for myself.

So I did that, as much as I could. And then I headed into what I thought would be four days at Surya Spa which then turned into seven days. On my first day they took one look at me and told me seven days would be necessary, and they were so right.

Panchakarma Musings

While I was there, I took a full-on technology break. I didn’t open my computer, my phone was completely off, and I didn’t communicate with anyone (other than bumping into some friends in Whole Foods… a girl’s gotta live! Hehe). I didn’t even see Jonathan or speak to my parents! Total silence & introspection.

I did a lot of reading, watched some amazing documentaries, and dug deep into my heart, soul and third eye for WHERE these answers to my biggest health questions are. Why do I consistently get so sick, so run down, so inflamed, so PITTA (as they say in Ayurveda!), so anxious… when I am just living this life I’ve created for myself?

I came to a few answers, and the biggest one is this: I am living to make everyone happy before myself. It’s not that I don’t do things for myself, because I so do. I am the self-care queen. Kundalini, meditation, dry brushing, massages, facials, bubble baths, vacations, nights in, self dates, you name it!

But the problem wasn’t with the self-care… I was carving out the time for that. The problem was that I wasn’t putting myself first in everyday situations. I was still going so far out of my way to make sure I could be everywhere, do everything, run this business with my full heart, get back to people in a very timely manner, respond to all texts and emails and calls, on and on. A way of life that, over time, began fighting with my nervous system in every single way.

The other huge answer I came to was that I wasn’t taking care of my body in the way it was crying out to be taken care of. I have told myself for years that because I am into health and wellness, I eat extremely well, exercise, do yoga, rest, etc. that I SHOULD feel fine and healthy and well so I tricked myself into thinking I was when inside I knew I really wasn’t.

The truth is, my body has been crying out for a different kind of diet and lifestyle for a couple of years now. This became incredibly clear early this month when I began eating a dedicated Ayurvedic diet of kitchari, cooked vegetables, warming foods, nourishing ghee, spices, and herbs. I cut out my smoothies, salads, eggs, chocolate (I can’t live without chocolate so I am eager to add that back in!) and a lot of other daily staples to truly heal and listen to my body from the inside out.

Plant-Based Lovin’

For a long time I ran away from the plant-based way of life because clearly… I labeled myself as a vegan for so long and it was not healthy for me ultimately to be so attached or to be so limited. But now I do believe — no, I don’t believe but rather I know — there is a way for me to be predominantly plant-based while also listening to my body and allowing changes and ebbs and flows with time to occur. A plant-based diet is the most anti-inflammatory, and with how INFLAMED I have been it’s time I really listen and nourish my particular body from the inside out.

I also did a ton of reading during the PK about the best way to eat for all of my various health issues and every. single. book. came back with the advice to be mostly plant-based. The books I was reading were not dogmatic or political. They were truly about HEALTH and wellbeing and longevity and healing and holistic alternatives. The universe was clearly pointing me in a very pointed direction.

In my head I have known for a long time that my body has been begging me to make this choice. In Bali I stated to J & myself that I was going to silently go plant-based for a while to see how it treated me. I officially started at the very end of December, and my gut health has been better than it has been in nearly four years. I can definitely say that this time around is already very different from my last dip into the plant-based waters, as I am fueling myself with lots of legumes and Indian basmati rice and healthy fats in a way that I simply did not do in my previous days as a vegan.

There is a lot more to the plant-based story here but I will save it for future posts and the Panchakarma podcast.

I should also say, as much as I love and respect everyone’s opinion on this subject, I am not looking for advice in this arena. I have been there, done that, and the whole point of this way of life is to listen to my own body and do what I feel is best for me from the inside out. Nourishing plant-based foods are calling me at the moment.

Wellbeing is a Lifestyle

As far as lifestyle… I realized that despite my best efforts I have still been running myself ragged in my everyday life. Just because I work from home and I am mindful about taking days off and having a great morning and evening self-care routine doesn’t mean that my work-life wasn’t totally bordering on workaholic overdrive. I would still wake up with heart palpitations about project deadlines, podcast edits, speaking engagements, events, etc. ALL the time. That is not the way I want to live my life.

Right now, my body and soul is craving a much more subdued life. One where I blog for FUN (and for work because of course that is my livelihood) and in a way that is completely balanced rather than taking on far too much. I am feeling the pull toward drawing inward and healing, spending more time in nature, and taking myself on healing retreats and trips versus planning out the original year that’s been in my head to host retreats all over the world.

A few healing trips I have coming up are… I am looking into a water fasting retreat in Sedona that I know will be deeply healing for me. I did a three day water fast during my Panchakarma and the dead cell & toxin die off was remarkable. As far as eczema, hives, and fibroids… water fasting (under the care of a trained doctor) is hugely beneficial and cutting edge. There is nothing new about it — but it’s something Western medicine has not latched onto just yet. I think in the coming years it will be one of the top methods of healing for those who are dedicated enough to dive in!

I am also going back to Bali for the month of April to heal. I will be alone, and will be writing, reading, getting daily spa treatments, eating all of the yummy local plant-based food, doing so much yoga and kundalini, and relearning how to be incredibly kind to my body.

I also have a few other healing retreats planned for myself that I will share when the time is right.

As far as exercise, the low intensity, low impact is still calling me. I will continue to do Orangetheory once a week (twice a week when I feel called to) to keep up my cardio routine because that is healthy and my body loves it, but I will not be diving into all of the running or massive amounts of HIIT at this time. Lots of yoga, and slow flow yoga to boot. Nothing too crazy over here.

LOVING Myself From the Inside Out

The biggest, hugest, most massive takeaway (other than feeling more psychically in tune than ever before during my PK) is how much I love myself and my body after this process.

Like all women (all humans, let’s be real), I have had my struggles with loving my body. There are parts of me I’ve always wished were different. Suddenly, during this PK, every single inch of me felt and RADIATED so much beauty in my eyes. Even the parts of me I have always felt the least in love with, I was holding onto with both hands and saying, “I love you, you’re safe here. It is safe to be in this body. It is safe to be a part of this body. You are so loved, and you are so beautiful.”

I truly believe this is a mindset and a feeling my body has been waiting for my entire life. The eczema itself was my body’s way of begging and pleading me to show myself wholehearted love. In many ways, I don’t think I have felt safe in my own body ever since I started developing massive stomach problems at the age of… zero!!! When I was truly just a baby. So always, as crazy as that may sound. I am sure a lot of you can relate.

The self-love I felt for my body throughout my PK was above and beyond. That is something I plan to take with me into my daily life, along with the lifestyle and dietary components above. I am also going to continue the Ayurvedic way of life and put a ton of emphasis on my routines, down time, and doing things on MY terms and my own way.

It’s been a long time of living one way (the people pleasing way), but I am ready to reverse it and dedicate myself to true healing from the inside out.

The best part is, I know this is only the beginning. I feel really good on the inside, but my rashes are still pretty much a mess and I still have a lot of toxins to release. The doctor at Surya Spa (Martha Soffer, the most amazing woman in the world) has me on a specific protocol and I will be back at Surya in a couple of weeks to do a liver cleanse with her. The toxins are still coming!

OH and I have parasites — a lot of them — and that is a story for another day as well.

I am so looking forward to hearing your thoughts about my very first Panchakarma musings, and all about how my body is ready for this new form of radical self-love. I have so much more to share on the subject and would love to hear your own stories + journeys of self-love! below

This flu season is on track to be among the worst in 15 years

This flu season is on track to be one of the worst in 15 years, with nearly 12,000 people needing to be hospitalized, federal health officials reported Friday. The latest weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the season, which started early and hit many states simultaneously, continues to blanket […]

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This flu season, with at least 37 child deaths so far, is on track to be among the worst in 15 years
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This flu season, with at least 37 child deaths so far, is on track to be among the worst in 15 years

Federal health officials reported that the level of influenza illness nationwide is the highest since the pandemic of 2009-2010, with nearly 12,000 people needing to be hospitalized. The number of hospitalizations rose by almost 3,000 people in one week. By the end of this flu season, officials said, the pediatric death toll is likely to […]

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His family thought he had a cold. A couple of days later, he died of the flu.

Monkeys in a nicotine experiment can relax. Their future is looking up.

Squirrel monkeys from an Food and Drug Administration nicotine study are headed to a long-term sanctuary after officials concluded that the experiment, which resulted in four deaths, did not meet the agency's animal-welfare standards and shut it down. Twenty monkeys that were involved in the study, plus six that were not, will be moved to […]

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FDA panel rejects Philip Morris’s claims that new smokeless cigarette reduces harm

An U.S. advisory panel on Thursday rejected claims by Philip Morris International that a new smokeless cigarette it hopes to sell in the United States reduces the risk and harm of smoking. The panel, convened by the Food and Drug Administration, agreed with the company's claim that its smokeless cigarette reduces smokers’ exposure to harmful […]

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Paramedics said her 6-year-old had common flu symptoms and left, she claims. Now her daughter is dead.

His family thought he had a cold. A couple of days later, yet another child died of the flu.

Like many flu-related illnesses, Dylan Winnik's started with a cold — and escalated rapidly. He had it for a couple of days. By Monday, he was feverish. By Tuesday, his temperature had gone back to normal, but he died that day. The 12-year-old Florida boy became the latest casualty of an intense flu season that has so […]

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This year's flu season is already the most widespread on record since health officials began keeping track 13 years ago, and has already caused the deaths of more children than what normally would be expected at this time of the year, federal health officials have said. During the second week of January, more people sought care […]

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Paramedics said her 6-year-old had common flu symptoms and left, she claims. Now her daughter is dead.
NIH adopts new rules on human research, worrying behavioral scientists

Marijuana-based anti-seizure drug could hit U.S. market in 2018 after strong study results

A new class of epilepsy medications based on an ingredient derived from marijuana could be available as soon as the second half of 2018 in the United States, pending Food and Drug Administration approval. Officials from GW Pharmaceuticals, the company that developed the drug, on Wednesday announced promising results from a study on 171 patients randomized into treatment and placebo groups. […]

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Agencies target 'illegal, unapproved' products that claim to treat opioid addiction

Federal regulators said Wednesday that they are cracking down on marketers and distributors selling a dozen products that “illegally” claimed to treat or cure opioid addiction and withdrawal. In letters sent earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission cited products that target people desperate to find relief from their addictions. They […]

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NIH adopts new rules on human research, worrying behavioral scientists
A boy’s basketball-size tumor was slowly killing him. He died days after doctors removed it.

NIH adopts new rules on human research, worrying behavioral scientists

Last year, the National Institutes of Health announced plans to tighten its rules for all research involving humans — including new requirements for scientists studying human behavior — and touched off a panic. Some of the country’s biggest scientific associations, including the American Psychological Association and Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, penned impassioned letters […]

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She claims paramedics said her 6-year-old had common flu symptoms and left. Now her daughter is dead.

Six-year-old Emily Muth first fell ill with the flu on Jan. 16. Three days later, she had difficulty breathing, so her mother, Rhonda Muth, called for an ambulance. Muth said a paramedic told her that labored breathing was a common symptom of the flu, so the ambulance was sent back. But Emily's breathing continued to […]

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He ate raw fish almost every day — until a 5-foot-long tapeworm slithered out of his body

A boy’s basketball-size tumor was slowly killing him. He died days after doctors removed it.

The basketball-sized tumor was finally gone, and the first signs after Emanuel Zayas’s surgery were deceptively encouraging. The 14-year-old’s eyes had begun to react to stimulation. The muscles on his face were strengthening. For a moment, his family, doctors and other supporters exhaled. But inside, the teen was already dying, according to Miami NBC-affiliate WTVJ. Days after […]

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He ate raw fish almost every day — until a 5-foot-long tapeworm slithered out of his body

[Warning: This story contains descriptions and photographs that some people may find disturbing.] He told an emergency room physician he had a liking for raw fish — specifically, salmon sashimi. It's what the 30-year-old man, from Fresno, Calif., suspected had landed him in the bathroom with stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. But what he did not anticipate was the moment he spotted something […]

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The 10-year-old was healthy as ‘an ox.’ Then he caught a deadly case of the flu.

This deadly flu season hasn't peaked yet, and a government shutdown will make things worse

A bad flu season that has hit the entire continental United States has yet to peak and already has caused the deaths of more children than what normally would be expected at this time of the year, according to officials and the latest data released Friday. During the second week of January, more people sought […]

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HHS releases new rule on health workers' religious, moral objections

Citing President Trump's “pro-life mission,” the Health and Human Services Department announced actions on Friday that are designed to roll back key health-care policies of the Obama administration. Roger Severino, director for the HHS Office of Civil Rights, said a proposed rule on “conscience rights” will further protect health-care workers who think they are being punished or discriminated against because […]

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Nico Mallozzi was known for his antics, his sly smile — and his good health. The 10-year-old hockey player from New Canaan, Conn., is depicted in photographs suited up and looking fierce on the ice. His coaches said he “captivated, entertained and kept us on our toes,” according to a GoFundMe page. His mother said “he was like an ox” — strong […]

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A family’s wrenching goodbye to their 5-year-old touched hearts. Days later, she died.

New HHS civil rights division charged with protecting health workers with moral objections

Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Eric Hargan on Thursday announced the creation of a new conscience and religious freedom division that will help protect doctors, nurses and other health-care workers who decline to participate in care that goes against their moral or religious convictions. Speaking at an event featuring Republican lawmakers and religious leaders, Hargan noted that […]

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A family’s wrenching goodbye to their 5-year-old touched hearts. Days later, she died.

Braylynn Lawhon's nickname was Princess Bel. Nurses in Florida recently dressed the terminally ill 5-year-old girl in a canary yellow ball gown, “hoping she'll wake up and lose her mind over how she turned into a princess overnight,” her mother wrote Friday on Facebook. “What she doesn't know, though, is that she has ALWAYS been a […]

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FDA to release more clinical trial information for newly approved drugs

The Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to make it easier for doctors, patients and researchers to get access to clinical trial data amassed during the process of approving new drugs, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Tuesday. Gottlieb announced the actions just before a speech on FDA transparency at a Washington forum. The meeting, attended by […]

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Why Panchakarma?

Hi my beauties!

I just wanted to check in for a quick post before I go offline for the next five days for my Ayurvedic PANCHAKARMA at Surya Spa in the Palisades.

The Panchakarma treatment is something I discovered a couple of years ago and have done yearly ever since… it will always be my annual retreat from the world, and one day I hope to do it seasonally as it’s traditionally done in Indian culture.

Maybe this will be my year to do one with the change of each season, you never know! I have to plan around it like crazy, since I retreat from the universe while I do it, which always ends up being SO WORTH IT.

I wanted to answer some questions here about what Panchakarma is, why I’m doing it, and why I think you guys would love it.

I want to start with the disclaimer that Panchakarma treatments are very expensive, especially in the U.S. (you can go to India & have a very traditional experience for a much more affordable rate), but pretty much the only things I choose to spend my money on are: healing, and experiences.

This is a healing AND an experience, and I am over the moon to spend the next five days in complete & utter solitude before I head to Palm Springs to co-host our yoga + reiki Desert Oasis Retreat with Kelsey Patel!

There ARE other options that are more affordable and I talk more about that at the bottom of this post. Everyone deserves their own version of this deeply healing experience.

So let’s get into what a Panchakarma is & what I will be up to for the next five days…

What is a Panchakarma?

Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic treatment for detoxification and purification that involves herbal oil massage, herbal therapy, rest, digital detox and more (way more — I’ll elaborate!) and is a gentle, yet profound purification therapy designed to rid the body of toxins.

In Ayurveda, they work with your dosha (your constitution / type) to get you back into balance. I am a pitta dosha (fire), but I have a ton of vata (air) in my system… which means that I have digestive issues, an extreme amount of anxiety, insomnia, food intolerances, a fibroid, and right now… this CRAZY rash (hives and eczema) all over my entire body that doesn’t seem to be letting up.

In other words, my pitta dosha is off balance, as there has been an increase of vata in my body — so this Panchakarma treatment will balance my doshic function on top of detoxifying my bod and giving me all the juicy open time and energy to recharge and get re-inspired away from technology and my daily life.

In balance, pitta is awesome. Technically a balanced pitta has great digestion and sleeps incredibly well, is a great decision-maker and teacher, and is very grounded. I’m sure many of you are pitta dominant also. We all have each dosha within us, and a dominant dosha that describes our constitution.

If you have nooooo idea what I am talking about when I say pitta and vata, then you may be interested in taking this dosha quiz. Your dosha is kind of like your body’s blueprint — it corresponds to your specific behaviors, emotions, digestion, shape, appearance and more.

Why Am I Doing a Panchakarma?

I decided to do another Panchakarma to ring in 2018 before my health concerns even started flaring up. I love the idea of beginning a new year with a clean slate in my mind, body and spirit.

The element of going technology-free during a Panchakarma is always deeply healing for me, and the place where I am flooded with my best ideas, thoughts, and bursts of inspiration. It’s like connecting to my soul on a whole new, incredibly spiritual level.

And then there are the physically healing elements. During a Panchakarma, your Ayurvedic practitioner will work with you to get your body back into balance — and line you back up with your dosha! They check your tongue and your pulse daily to see how your digestion and your entire system is doing, and they are able to pinpoint where your imbalances are coming from.

I am very certain that most of my imbalances are coming from my liver, kidneys and gut. I have been told by various healers, skincare experts, and more that my liver and my kidneys are both working WAY overtime which is why my body is literally seeping out this rash and other various skin issues asking me for help.

I have chosen to view my rash (you should see me right now — head to toe red bumps like a bright red reptile… that’s what J called me!) AND my fibroid for that matter as my body’s way of crying for help to let me know that things are off. And you’d better believe that I’m going to listen!

Of course all things come at the right time because although I didn’t know my health was going to flare up so badly as it has over the last two months, I booked my Panchakarma back in October because I love how healing it is for my mind, body, spirit connection.

It is also my RETREAT from the world. I won’t be checking my phone, computer, social media, Apple Watch… nothing. I won’t even be in communication with my family, friends, or Jonathan! I am diving into this experience full throttle just as I have all of my other Panchakarma experiences & they have served me incredibly well.

What are some other reasons to do a Panchakarma?

Well, there are a ton. If you are feeling sluggish, depressed, unmotivated, out of touch with your health, out of touch with your heart and soul, having difficulty with digestion or concentration or any type of emotional issue — Panchakarma is a great thing to do.

At this time in my life, I am on a quest to heal. I first started doing Panchakarmas to heal my gut and digestion, and now it’s turned into so much more than that. I feel that my entire body is on a spiritual journey, and with all of the spiritual upleveling I am experiencing on the inside… my body is trying to catch up, and it’s going through the wringer in the meantime. (Cue my current Saturn Return, on top of it all.)

I also have an intense desire to treat my body as well as possible and give myself the gift of major detoxification. On top of that, I am thrilled to have 5 days to myself to go through the treatment process and reconnect to my core and what I am most passionate about — and also to reconnect to my creativity away from the Internet.

I will be reading ALL of the books… last time I read I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb and it changed my life FOREVER. If you haven’t read it, do it. It’s a fiction game changer.

What is a Panchakarma treatment like when you’re actually in the room getting treated?

There are five treatments within a PK, from herbal oil massage, to an oil forehead drip on your third eye (shirodhara), to an exfoliation an steam bath, and more. In the treatment room, two women will be rubbing you with an herbal oil massage made specifically for your dosha / imbalances… how COOL is that? It feels amazing!

In the past, the five treatments within the Panchakarma have transported me to have out of body experiences. I have felt more relaxed, at peace, and at one with the earth than I ever have before. Plus, the treatments are a massively detoxifying experience — for the rest of the day, I sleep a lot, my digestion is amazing, and my body goes through a tune up every time.

I remember thinking during the treatments, “am I asleep or awake? I have NO idea” because I feel that relaxed and peaceful.

The treatments last for about four hours… then you shower, and eat lunch. After that, I will come home for the rest of the day and go back to Surya each morning!

What do you eat?!

KITCHARI!

I love kitchari more than life. It’s an Indian dish made of mung dhal, basmati rice (I sub cauliflower rice with a tinyyyy bit of basmati rice), and ghee sauteed with kitchari spices. You can see it on my Instagram story if you’re reading this post right when it comes out!

It’s actually easy as can be to make. I buy this kitchari kit on Amazon which makes it even easier, and I usually squeeze some fresh lemon or lime into it and add a tiny bit of tahini. DELICIOUS.

The purpose of eating kitchari during the detox is to eat foods that your body can break down and digest with ease. The spices and the warming foods are incredibly easy on our digestive system, and assist the detox process. You can also have broth, white rice, and certain steamed easy-to-digest vegetables and grains. (We all know I’m not a grain person so I don’t opt for those.)

You also drink ghee every morning to stimulate the digestive system, and there is a castor oil purgation to eliminate all unwanted toxins (ama, in Ayurvedic terms) to get the deepest purification possible.

What else?!

I will be getting my treatments at Surya from 9:30 – 1:30 every day, and having lunch there at their gorgeous home kitchen. Other than that, I will be sleeping a lot, reading a lot, meditating, writing, and staying inspired.

My phone will be OFF, computer will be off, and I will be alone with my thoughts and my mind.

I am so ready, and so very excited to begin to heal.

To read more about my Panchakarma experiences…

Go here, and click on any of the posts that interest you the most. This will be my third PK and my second full one… I think next time maybe I should go all the way to India to dive even deeper into the experience.

And I just want to say, if this treatment is on your radar but it’s too expensive… you can absolutely search locally in your area for someone trained who does PK’s out of their home. There are affordable options. Everyone deserves this radical healing experience if it is calling to you. You can even do it for one day, which I can also say from experience makes a big difference.

A second option would be to buy some oils that work well with your skin, and give yourself a healing herbal oil massage every morning before you shower. That is the most affordable way to get your nervous system in on part of this amazing experience… the abhyanga massage. Doing it to yourself is such an incredible act of self-love.

I will miss you guys over the next five days! A LOT! Stay tuned for my upcoming SOLO EPISODE on the podcast this Wednesday… the first Solo Ep of the year, and episode 70 overall on the pod. CRAZY. Subscribe on iTunes so you can get a notification when it’s out.

Sending you allllll of my love, and can’t wait to reconnect on Friday and tell you EVERYTHING! Enjoy this week’s NEW MOON & be sure to journal it out!!!

Are tens of thousands of California kids about to lose their health care? – Orange County Register

Pathetic, shameful and a disgrace ! One of the key measures of a society is how children are treated and more important protected. A key measure is infant mortality rates, vaccination rates and other metrics. It is well known that the United States is not in the top ranking of chldren's survival rates.

There are numerous governmental agencies that compile this information, to include:

Global Health Observatory (GHO) data

The federal government funds the Children's Health Insurance Program, which is set to expire in September 2019 unless you act now.

Are tens of thousands of California kids about to lose their health care? – Orange County Register

Teens are daring each other to eat Tide pods. We don’t need to tell you that’s a bad idea.

First, it was the “gallon challenge” and the “cinnamon challenge.” Then some teenagers started playing the “bath-salt challenge.” They have dared each other to pour salt in their hands and hold ice till it burns, douse themselves in rubbing alcohol and set themselves ablaze, and throw boiling water on unsuspecting peers. Now videos circulating on […]

Related:
CDC postpones session on ‘preparing for the unthinkable’: a nuclear blast
First treatment approved for breast cancer with BRCA genetic mutation
CDC says, ‘There’s lots of flu in lots of places.’ And it’s not going away anytime soon.

CDC postpones session on 'preparing for the unthinkable': a nuclear blast

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rescheduled a teaching session on the public health response to a nuclear blast that was supposed to take place Tuesday. The session, which was to feature presentations from U.S. experts on public health preparedness and response and radiation, included a session titled "Preparing for the Unthinkable." The […]

Related:
First treatment approved for breast cancer with BRCA genetic mutation
CDC says, ‘There’s lots of flu in lots of places.’ And it’s not going away anytime soon.
FDA warns against giving kids cough and cold medicines with codeine or hydrocodone

MY MORNING ELIXIRS: Dandelion Tea, Matcha Magick, Mushroom Lattes, & MORE!

Hello, hello my loves!

You have probably noticed that I have been all about the elixir life lately… you know, yummy drinks loaded with adaptogens, medicinal shrooms, herbs, matcha, stevia, you name it.

Why is this, you ask?

Because I have recently gone off of COFFEE & also have become obsessed with herbs to naturally heal my skin + fibroid issues. I wrote a bit about why I went off of coffee in this post if you’re interested (or if you have an inkling trying out the caffeine-free life may be good for you too!) and… I have been feeling epic benefits.

I stopped drinking coffee while J & I were in Bali, because after very intense stomach problems and massive indigestion on that trip (think… sobbing in bed with a migraine and stomach pains while at the prettiest hotel on the planet) I made a vow to myself to cut out ALL foods & bevs that I know don’t work with my system.

I did an allergy panel with my functional medicine doc (what up, Dr. Lekkos!) a few months ago and it showed that I have allergies to: coffee, eggs, ALL types of grains (even gluten-free, even rice, quinoa, etc.), mushrooms (not the medicinal kind), cranberries, many fruits, dairy, and a few other random things — as well as SO FREAKIN MANY environmental allergies + plant allergies.

So on that fateful day in Bali as I sobbed my eyes out… I 100% vowed that I would cut the coffee, eggs, and gluten-free grains out (well, all of it really but those were the ones I ate + drank the most of) and let me tell you my loves… I have STUCK to it!

What I was most worried about with cutting coffee out of my life was the ritual aspect. I love, love, love my morning beverage ritual… and for a few years, that bev of choice was coffee.

You guys know I love a good morning routine. I am all about the wake up slow, meditate, sip on a warm drink, flow through intuitive movement, digital detox kinda morning. It’s a staple in my wellness routine and truth be told, I was really terrified about what my morning routine would look like without coffee.

Not to mention, the CAFFEINE. Before even opening my eyes my body craved the caffeinated energy jolt from coffee, so beyond the allergy I wanted to prove to myself that I could live life without coffee & still be productive, on top of my work every day, creatively stimulated, etc.

And guess what?!

Now I have MORE energy. And the energy I have is sustained throughout the day, so I don’t have those horrible crashes around 3pm or 4pm like I used to. The energy is slow and steady… I have come to embrace the fact that the early morning is my time to DO ME… I really don’t feel like a normally functioning human until about 9:30/10:00am if I’m lucky. I still wake up around 7:30am, but I need all that time to myself before I can be “on.”

And I’m GOOD with that.

My job is flexible, so I know I am lucky in this department, but I definitely do best when I don’t start talking to people or diving into emails & calls until after alllll of that morning me time. I used to manipulate that by chugging coffee first thing in the A.M., but what I was really doing was manipulating my body’s natural rhythm and the way that I was born to be.

(Author & podcaster Gretchen Rubin has a ton of interesting info on the “type” of person you are in this book that I read recently… morning or night, etc. I am just a night person no matter how much I try to fight it! I am a mid to late morning person though, but my energy really flourishes later in the day as well.)

Without my caffeine crashes I feel so much more… relaxed. Sustained. Human, in many ways, actually.

And I actually don’t miss the ritual at all!!! Why, you ask? Because I have completely replaced my coffee addiction with an affinity for herbal & adaptogen filled morning elixirs.

I have also developed a massive affinity for DANDELION TEA, which you have definitely seen on my Instagram if you follow along there.

In this post I will be sharing a few of my fave morning elixir recipes, as well as my dandelion tea recipe! If you make them, tag me on Insta & hashtag #tbbmadmedoit so I can see!

P.S. I want to say that this post is not sponsored by any of these brands… I just love the sh*t out of them & use them every day & you need to know about them.

DANDELION TEA //

THE BENEFITS //

There are so many benefits of dandelion tea, BEYOND the fact that it legitimately tastes just like coffee in many ways. It might sound pretty unbelievable but I swear two tablespoons of dandelion root powder in hot water with coconut milk tastes BETTER than coffee to me with an extremely similar taste.

The health benefits range from liver detox, to muscle aches, to eczema (I’ll let you know how that one turns out…), to laxative/digestion help, and is even great for blood flow & circulation.

I fell in love with it mainly because of the taste, and then fell in LOVE with the detoxifying properties & the way it makes me feel. I have been more regular than I have in ages, even though I thought that going off of coffee would make me constipated for life because my system is so sensitive like that.

I truly drink this tea about 3-4 times a day and when I don’t, I get sad because that’s how much I love it. Ready for the recipe?! Let’s do it.

THE RECIPE //

( I make this in a huge mason jar by the way, that’s why there is so much liquid in there! )

8 oz. water (can be hot or cold, I like to drink all of my drinks cold because that’s my preference but if you like it hot… heat it up first!)

4-8 oz. coconut milk (depending on how milky you want it. You can also sub for any other nut milk)

2 tablespoons Dandy Blend (I’ve linked my favorite brand — it is a GAME CHANGER. You can play around with how strong you like the taste… I have a feeling some people will prefer 1 tablespoon but I like it strong!)

1 dropper full of Stevia (I love this English Toffee one by SweetLeaf)

1 packet Four Sigmatic Caffeine-Free Chaga (this is optional just to give it an extra medicinal mushroom kick, but def not needed. Use the code BLONDE at checkout for 15% off Four Sig products!)

A few shakes of Pumpkin Pie Spice (linked my fave)

BLEND thoroughly, & ENJOY!! Then add 1 handful ice, if you are having it iced!

CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!

MEDICINAL SHROOM HERBAL ELIXIR //

( This is also JONATHAN’S DRINK, if you’ve seen me post about His & Hers morning elixirs on my Insta… he lives for this combo! Minus the herbs at the end! )

THE BENEFITS //

I have been drinking this bad boy whenever my brain needs an added pick-me-up. It’s generally a morning drink in my eyes, but the beauty of mushroom coffee is that it has such little caffeine (and you can also drink caffeine-free varieties) if you have it in the afternoon it won’t mess with you being able to wind down and fall asleep later on.

There are so many benefits of medicinal mushrooms… it’s almost completely nuts, actually. Mushrooms like Reishi, Chaga, Lion’s Mane, & Cordyceps all have game changing health properties that help with alertness, brain function, immunity, energy, and longevity to name a few.

What I love about the medicinal mushroom life is that you can pick & choose which adaptogens you like best in your body, and which help you out with your particular deficiencies the most.

( BTW, adaptogens are super-herbs that have been used in ancient cultures for centuries to bring the body back into homeostasis. Since all bodies are different, adaptogens will work differently in each person’s body. To use them, get to know them and how they work in your bod! )

SO I drink this one when I need that extra kick for immunity / brain function / all of it!

THE RECIPE //

4 oz. water (can be hot or cold, I like to drink all of my drinks cold because that’s my preference but if you like it hot… heat it up first!)

4-8 oz. coconut milk (depending on how milky you want it. You can also sub for any other nut milk)

1 packet Four Sigmatic Chaga (I like the un-caffeinated one)

1 packet Four Sigmatic Cordyceps

1 packet Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane

1 dropper full of Stevia (I love this English Toffee one by SweetLeaf)

+ then I add these OPTIONAL ingredients: HerbPharm ashwagandha, HerbPharm rhodiola, & HerbPharm chickweed for all of my various skin issues, energy issues, & fibroid. You don’t need to go all out with these ingredients but if you’re looking to get into the HERB life, then you definitely should look into them!

BLEND thoroughly, & ENJOY!!

+ optional ice if you’re drinking it cold!

*and if you’re not into using packets, you can also order them in TINS on Four Sig‘s website!

MATCHA MAGICK //

THE BENEFITS //

Matcha has so many health benefits it’s almost insane. Once I realized how far the matcha benefits outweighed the benefits of coffee… I couldn’t believe how long I had been drinking coffee & ignoring the matcha life.

A few benefits of matcha are… it boosts metabolism and burns calories naturally, it’s packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg that you can’t find anywhere else, it detoxifies effectively and naturally, and it’s rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins.

I also love the way it tastes and completely replaces the ritual of coffee for me, as well. When I need that boost of caffeine, I go for matcha! It is a much more sustained source of caffeine so it doesn’t give me the jitters or get my heart rate way up the way that coffee does.

THE RECIPE //

4 oz. water (can be hot or cold, I like to drink all of my drinks cold because that’s my preference but if you like it hot… heat it up first!)

4-8 oz. coconut milk (depending on how milky you want it. You can also sub for any other nut milk)

1 scoop Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen (my favorite brand by far because not only am I getting the health benefits & taste of matcha, but also the gut-sealing + hair, skin & nails enhancing benefits of collagen!)

1 tablespoon melted coconut butter, cacao butter or ghee (this will make it “Bulletproof” & give you the fat burning benefits!)

BLEND thoroughly, & ENJOY!!

+ optional ice if you’re drinking it cold!

There we have it angels… all of my current go-to morning elixirs, herbal tonics, dandy tea, & matcha latte deliciousness! I hope you LOOOVEEEE it all.

Linking all of the shoppable links below so you can check them out yourself, including this Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen & Four Sigmatic shrooms which aren’t shoppable links so you can click on them above!

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2984990″]

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