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Dolphin MPS…Another Tool For The Toolbox

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Every craftsman (or woman) has tools. The longer the trade has been plied, the more diverse the tools.

As I work towards filling my ‘toolbox’ with health and wellness minded tools, sometimes I find something that just shouts out to me. There are some things EVERYONE should know about and partake in……if they want to manage their health in a sustainable way. Taking medication daily for pain is NOT a sustainable solution to a potentially long term problem. As a pharmacist, I witness the after effects of chronic pain medication use. If opioids (codeine, hydrocodone, fentanyl etc) are used long term, pain tolerance decreases, addiction/chemical dependance inevitably occurs, constipation becomes a separate and treatable disease entity, and liver and brain changes (damage) are likely.

If something ‘milder’ is chosen as the daily treatment of choice…. like an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) or Tylenol (acetaminophen), the list is shorter, but not necessarily better. Both have the ability to cause long term problems with the kidneys or liver depending on your drug of choice. NSAIDS like Motrin (Ibuprofen), Aleve, Celebrex, Meloxicam etc are now being tied to the induction of Gluten Sensitivity , not to mention the eventual GI upset and erosion that will occur after longterm use…. again, causing a separate dysfunction that will also need to be treated by an additional med. It is a cycle that is inevitable if pain is managed long term this way.

After I had my ‘run in’ with our bull , I was acutely aware of my need to solve the pain puzzle quickly….. not just short term, but long term too. Our farm does not run by itself, and my husband and I are the sole caregivers of our ‘farmily’.  My accident very nearly resulted in an amputation, and the likelihood that I would live with pain and a limp at best was high. For the record, I was on prescription pain medication for exactly 3 days before transitioning over to herbal and alternative pain management solutions. Today…. 20 months later, I walk with no limp and have only occasional pain that is managed herbally, with exercise…. and this interesting little magic tool: the Dolphin MPS . I learned about it quite by accident (or Divine Intervention!) at a convention I was attending 3 months after my accident. I was still on crutches at the time, and a Dolphin practitioner offered to do a quick treatment simply while we sat waiting for a seminar to start. Admittedly, I was a little dubious sitting there with my leg in a stranger’s lap as her little instruments chattered back and forth to each other. We sat there for about 15 minutes and while she worked, she gave a quick overview of how and why the Dolphin worked. Whoa!!! It worked on me, and THAT caught my attention. The Lord says we shouldn’t covet, but I was sinfully coveting both her tools and her knowledge. So, in October of 2015, I drove 6 hours and attended my first intensive class and bought my Dolphin units.

Many of you are probably asking what is this and how does it work? So I’m going to try to answer some of the most obvious questions here:

FAQ’s:

Is this a TENS unit? No. Although it is approved by the FDA in the category of electronic stimulation, it is resoundingly NOT the same thing as a TENS unit. A TENS unit provides short term relief of pain using high frequency (100-200 Hz), low intensity electric current. It is non specific in application location, and…. in essence…. simply masks the pain for a short period of time (ie: in a physical therapy setting, pre-treating with a TENS unit will allow you to complete the therapy with less pain). It is something that your body can build resistance to over time.

In comparison: the Dolphin provides LONG term relief of pain using low frequency (2.5Hz), mid intensity electric current. It is used on very specific locations…known acupuncture points… unless treating a scar. Treatment with the Dolphin usually provides relief much longer term… usually for several days, but frequently for much longer. (For example, after the course of healing, I now only do ‘tuneups’ on my ankle about once a month.) Additionally, endorphins are released during Dolphin treatment, accentuating the feeling of wellbeing. You can read more about Dolphin VS traditional TENS units here.

How does it work? Open your mind a minute to the concept of Eastern Medicine. Everything in our world has an electric current, and we are no exception (unless you’re dead!). Pain is the result of trapped energy in a certain area of your body. If you can release that trapped energy, the pain will subside or even completely go away. The Dolphin device (and manuals) help you identify which pathways (meridians) would be most beneficial in unblocking the energy. As soon as the ‘block’ is removed, pain nearly always either subsides, diminishes significantly, or completely disappears. For people with chronic conditions, this ‘resetting’ will likely need to occur as often as weekly or monthly.

Does it hurt? Although it is a teeny tiny bit of electricity, depending on the situation or acupuncture site, it may feel like a small prick all the way up to a bee sting. The reality is that the more intense the sting, the greater benefit you will feel when the treatment is over!

How do I find someone who will treat me? You can find a certified practitioner worldwide here: http://www.mpscourses.com/directory/ , but the good news in the United States is that this device is approved by the FDA for sale as an over the counter (OTC) item. Basic treatment can be done at home by you or a family member with a little training, but more intensive treatment (involving the back or neck) really requires at least one two day class. My advice is to find a practitioner, and try a round of treatment… if it works for you (and it probably will!) it would be worth your time and investment to learn a new wellness skillset! It is not an inexpensive wellness tool, but if you look at the long term ramifications of chronic pain med use, this tool could be PRICELESS for your life long health and wellness goals.

(PS: most insurances will pay for Dolphin treatment as an approved/billable PT/OT therapy AND some insurances will even pay for a home unit with a prescription from your doctor.)

I’ve found that the Dolphin works synergistically with my Young Living oils….. (ie: 1+1 = 3 or 4 or 5!), and don’t need ‘resets’ nearly as often as I likely would otherwise given my injury. I’ve given several friends and family members some major relief by using this combination as well & have spoken to many practitioners who have seen similar results, so I know my results are not an isolated incident.

If you’d like to learn more about oils or the Dolphin, please feel free to contact me! 

This is not a paid endorsement of the Dolphin… I just know it works, and I believe in it enough that I’m now working on my own certification training…. it may take me a year or two, but I’m committed to this vision of health and wellness without chemicals.

The Dolphin: just another sustainable tool for my health and wellness toolbox!

Have a blessed and WELL day,
Liz

this Might Just Be Your Missing Puzzle Piece

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Our bodies. We are a mega city of cells that never sleep and never vacation: 24/7/365. Our cells are shift workers, simultaneously creating and destroying depending on our body’s needs. That makes me tired…. just thinking about how hard our bodies work around the clock!

Just like any mega city employees, our cells need adequate and proper tools to do their jobs and keep things running smoothly. Without proper tools, production and destruction may become delayed or dysfunctional, and for a mega city, that can result in a real crisis.

Enter Young Living’s product Sulfurzyme. In my opinion, this is one of the most important powerhouse products that YL offers us. It is one of the supplements Charlie and I use daily to support our bones, ligaments, and joint health. We both have had some significant “wear and tear”   on our farm weary bodies and this product helps us function at our best. (and no….neither one of us walks with even a limp).  After doing a little research, I came to realize it supports a whole lot more than just our musculo-skeletal system, and now covet this product even more than I already did.

You see, the mineral sulfur is critically important to our body’s function. Unfortunately, roughly 75% of the US population is deficient. It hasn’t always been this way….current farming practices (ie: stressing soil by not rotating crops, soil overuse, artificial fertilizer use, herbicide use etc) that have evolved since the early 70’s have robbed our food supply of many minerals, and sulfur is no exception.  Organic sulfur comes from the plants we eat, and also from the animal proteins we eat (unless vegan). In its most elemental form it is called MSM (methylsulfonylmethane).

MSM is utilized by our bodies to create 2 of the 20 essential amino acids we need in order that we may live and thrive: methionine and cysteine. Amino acids are necessary building blocks required to create protein. Aside from water, protein is the most plentiful substance within our bodies.

Adequate availability of both these amino acids and bioavailable sulfur are known to play a large role in:

  • Breaking down fat (especially in the liver and arteries)
  • DNA/RNA synthesis
  • Detoxifying harmful accumulations of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic within our bodies
  • Supporting muscle strength and tone
  • Aids in the production of collagen and provides elasticity in the skin
  • Supporting hair, skin, and nail health
  • Facilitating cellular energy production
  • Facilitating carbohydrate metabolism, especially important for those with insulin production issues
  • Glutathione production: The principal function is waste disposal in our cells, but it’s also known to promote good eye health. Nearly every type of eye disease has the hallmark characteristic of low glutathione levels. (Coincidentally, our levels tend to drop naturally as we age)
  • Glucosamine production: the building block for ligaments, tendons, joint lubrication, digestive and respiratory membranes, heart valves, eyes, nails, skin and bone. It gives cartilage strength, structure, and resiliency.
  • Facilitating normal digestion and bowel movements/ helping to neutralize sour stomach.
  • Alleviating discomfort from bone & joint pain, muscle soreness

When MSM is combined with a diet rich in Vitamin C….. well, this is when some additional  magic happens. There is a synergistic effect between the two, and our cells and body tissue becomes more flexible and more permeable, making the above list happen to a greater degree.

Sulfurzyme is a deceptively simple product, containing just MSM and dried Wolfberries. However, the wolfberries are a powerhouse in their own right (to be discussed another day) and in addition to vitamin C, also contain minerals and coenzymes that further support sulfur metabolism. Taking this combination is much more powerful than simply consuming MSM alone, and the effects of MSM appear to be magnified.

There is no way I can feasibly condense “how” and “why” MSM works as it does in this article. If you’d like to dig deeper on this subject, I’d encourage you to read The MSM Miracle by Earl Mindell, RPh/PhD. It is a small book that would be well worth your time!

** Side note: do not confuse Sulfur with Sulfa (as in the drug class). Nobody is allergic to Sulfur in its elemental form. In fact, if we were to be completely without sulfur, we simply would not exist. So, yes, even if you have a  sulfa allergy, you can still take elemental sulfur. **

If you’d like to learn more about Sulfurzyme or Young Living’s other products, please contact me. You (and your body!) won’t be disappointed.

Enjoy your day!
​Liz

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Gut Health Classes

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Who doesn’t need overall great health? The key to nearly 90% of dis-ease, body system dysfunction and emotional disorders lies in our gut. We are now offering Gut Health 101 on a monthly basis. If this month doesn’t work for you, OR if you’d like a private class for yourself and/or at least 5 friends and family, please feel free to private message me. These classes are interactive and online, so no distance is too great to prevent learning!

“I took the class and it was very informative. The questionnaire that we filled out before hand allowed me to make personal connection to the information as we went along. The information that was shared helped me put 2 and 2 together for myself and my son. The connection of our emotional health being connected to our gut health was eye opening and I believe I now have a clear path for improving both in my life! Liz James is a wealth of knowledge and she has a heart of caring for people! Priceless! This was life changing! Thank you and I am looking forward to more classes like this” -JE

“Liz’s Gut Health 101 class was very informative on many levels. I have been working closely with a local Nutritional Wellness center for 11 months trying to get my gut back to healthy. Even after all that time and all that they have taught me and that I have learned from extensive reading, I still learned more from Liz in her class. I am looking forward to more of her teaching. She is clear and concise and easy to understand. I think everyone I know should take this class. I KNOW that if they did and followed her advice they would feel a whole lot better!! -KT

“What a wonderful class. I learned a great deal and was especially fascinated by the link between chronic skin issues being and indicator of the health of one’s gut. Well taught and easy to understand. The pre-class questionnaire was awesome!! Nice job ladies!” -AC

Did you know that 60-70 million people in the USA have a digestive disorder? This accounts for 48.3 MILLION visits to the doctor a year. Those numbers are actually much higher….. and we’ll discuss why in this class. Your gut health is closely tied to all aspects of your overall body and emotional health. Join us as we unravel the how’s and why’s of your GI and what you can begin doing to fix what’s going wrong.

Contact me for next class! xoxo Liz

The Ultimate Prepper

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Prepping. The word connotes to many the idea that we (preppers) are a bit like Chicken Little (you know… The Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling). It used to be if you ‘prepped’ for something like the SAT, or a big dinner party, that was a good thing and the action was smiled upon. So how did it happen that we exchanged the “d” for an “r”, and suddenly those who prepare for the unknown are thought by many to be a few Fruit Loops short of a full box? Just something to think about.

​In the meantime, I’d like to introduce you to one of our farm mascots and the ULTIMATE prepper…. Henri! Henri was hand raised after falling out of a tree onto an unsuspecting friend (who may or may not have screamed like a girl). Her mother was nowhere to be found, and she had no interest in returning to her nest despite attempts to place her there. I’ve worked with animals all my life, even having had a short career as a zoo keeper, and this is not my first rodeo squirrel raising experience. She was still young enough to need milk replacer, but was becoming of age to move on to more varied foods. She really thrived on a product called Ningxia Red, as well as other food supplements that baby squirrels need.

Today, she is about 7 months old, and is quite the #oilyfarmsquirrel / farm mascot. We have 6 very large dogs, and not only is she friends with them, she has also become part of their pack, and considers herself one of their own. See friends, …. animals have this down…. no matter their differences, ideologies, and predator vs prey status, it is possible to work out a friendship. Seems like since we have bigger brains than both squirrel or dog, our world ought to spin with a little more friendship and handshakes if we bypassed prejudices like we do out here on the farm :).

Henri was raised and released once she was old enough. She has chosen to live alongside us, and we are happy to accommodate her. Her presence has gifted us with additional smiles and quiet peace. She reminds us as only squirrels can:
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  • Look both ways before you cross the path
  • Plan ahead…. and hide and protect your nuts!
  • Stay active and alert
  • Enjoy the sunshine & value sleep
  • Find your friends wherever you are, but know your enemies
  • Adapt to whatever life throws your way
  • Take care of the business and then take time to play

We might have bigger brains and opposable thumbs, but we can still learn a lot from our four legged friends!
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Henri the squirrel video, Enjoy your day!
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