"I have a Dream" - of my life without psoriasis...finally!

When Dr. Martin Luther King delivered this speech which rocked the nation, this vision of a future when the "color of one's skin" would not be the reason to judge the "character" of an individual...he was looking ahead profetically to a future time of Love, Understanding, Peace and Tolerance!

Some 50 years later, much has happened in the world of Civil Rights and typical negative treatments towards non-white people, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, etc. We still have a long way to go before everyone is treated equally from birth to grave, however.

In light of this thinking, I am a psoriasis patient who has had inflamed, "red," scaly skin covering over 80% of my body for more than 30 years of my life. I don't remember a time in all of these years when I could safely go to the beach in the summer months and wear a bathing suit without some little boy saying to his mother, "mommy, what's wrong with that man's skin!" Yet, the more I have "Loved myself," cared about changing my habits, the better I am at controling this ailment.

The stigma of living with a visibly "ugly" skin disease like Psoriasis is very hard to bear emotionally!

It can also lead to depression and other co-morbid illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke plus arthritis and diabetes; according to the National Psoriasis Foundation and it's team of medical doctors.

I have a dream, that one day...

I will go to any beach on the planet, rest on a blanket in the sand, enjoy the sun and sea without worry of someone starring at my psoriasis lesions!

Over 125 million people around the world suffer from this condition. That is approximately one in every 56 people on our planet of nearly 7 billion adults and children. This means that someone you know has this condition to whom it seems incurable, hopeless, lifelong!

The nagging question remains...can we get rid of psoriasis? And what about other autoimmune conditions that involve inflation of joints and muscles like arthritis? Can diet, exercise, and environment play an active role in reversal and cure? What about emotions? Can our attitude affect our stress levels and improve our skin? There are so many factors that contribute to this difficult condition...

See this study by Dr. Marco Harari, chief dermatologist of the DMZ clinic at the Dead Sea in Israel where he treats people with acute psoriasis, arthritis, diabetes type-2, cystic fybrosis, asthma and many other conditions. 

Psoriasis Treatment using Dead Sea derived Minerals

WATCH THIS EXPLAINATION OF THE SOURCE OF PSORIASIS BENEATH THE SKIN!

 

T.M.S.T. : a unique combination of vitamins and minerals that contribute to regulating and focusing on the complex reaction of the immune system. The vitamins and minerals act together, through the different influence mechanisms, to provide metabolic and mental balance, bridge nutritional gaps, normalize nerve transmission and nourish the different body systems.

20% of the Profit goes to Scholarships for Patients with Acute Psoriasis!

Learn more and order here!

HealthRightUSA.org is shipping this treatment system worldwide to help patients with acute psoriasis cope with the battle they experience. Until you are able to come to Israel and go to the Dead Sea for a direct sun and sea spa treatment with us, this product may truly help your condition improve. See the video and download Dr. Marco Harari's clinical trail study here. He is a foremost dermatologist treating acute psoriasis at the Dead Sea clinic for over 15 years.

Meet Dr. Harari at our Dead Sea clinic this summer. He supports this product and our efforts to bring people to the Dead Sea for a complete treatment of education, diet, exercise and mineral waters with unique sunrays - not found anywhere on the planet. Contact us;

Psoriasis Diet Now, Dead Sea Treatment This Summer!

When you order and click on these books by Joel Fuhrman, M.D., a board certified physician with 30 years as a nutritional doctor, you'll learn how he has treated psoriasis completely in under 6-months.

 

The book and companion DVD, showing sample recipies, will help you change your eating habits. However, doing it alone can be difficult, which is why we have created a support system starting in Israel this summer, so that you never feel alone again!

We have created our "Long-Term Wellness program" called SustainingWellness which includes learning the diet and also coming to the Dead Sea in Israel. At this amazing, hot spot, 5-star spa you'll meet countless people from all over the world who suffer from "Arthritis, Psoriasis, Psoriatic-Arthritis, type-2 Diabetes."

These unique sea waters act as a natural "detox" while the sun nurtures the skin with natural rays and vitamin "D" not found in any other environment! When you leave Israel, you are ready to continue the program on your own, with strong and clear instructions and with an international community of life-time friendship and support. You may begin now by contacting Dr. Fuhrman here.

Register here if you would like information about this summer in Israel!

Natural Psoriasis treatment at the Dead Sea - a video

This digital video below is about the Dead Sea and autoimmune conditions in general. Matthew Katz, founder of HealthRightUSA.org journeyed to this world-known and ancient healing oasis in 2007 and this video describes what he learned there.

It's very worthwhile to listen to the entire video to reach a complete understanding of the value of going to Israel's spa at the Dead Sea with HealthRightUSA.org.

You'll learn about an amazing "natural" psoriasis treatment which takes place this summer in during 21-days of unique mineral baths, special sunlight and nutritional support --- described by Dr. Jeffrey Coleman Salloway, who is a renowned, lifelong expert on disease. Dr. Salloway discusses the difficulty of treating all autoimmune conditions, and overcoming our toxic environments of poor air, foods, stresses both emotional and psychological. Even people can be toxic to our health if they "stress us out!" Proper education and implementation of this information may indeed to lead us all to a lifetime of health and longevity. 

"Coming to the Dead Sea with HealthRightUSA.org for a full 21-day retreat will change your entire life and make you feel younger!" says Dr. Salloway.

 
 

Click below to find out more about programs available to you this coming summer in Israel and you may find a lasting solution to your condition.

Treatment of Autoimmunes - Dr. Andrew Weil's "Spontaneous Healing"

While the world we live in is experiencing a massive health crisis with hospitals and nursing homes more full than ever and traditional doctors "treating symtoms vs. root causes" Dr. Andrew Weil, of Harvard Medical School and leading Integrative Medicine authority, empowers us all to look beyond the current healing modalities and say, what if my doctor and I were partners and we let our bodies heal naturally?

On page 277 of this great resource "Spontaneous Healing - How to Discover and Enhance your Body's Natural Abiity to Maintain and Heal Itself," he talks about a utopian healing environment he strives to create:

"Imagine a future world in which medicine is oriented toward healing rather than disease, where doctors believe in the natural healing capacity of human beings and emphasize prevention above treatment? Except for urgent care facilities, hospitals in such a world might resemble spas, where patients could learn to eat and prepare healthy foods, learn to take care of the physical needs of their bodies, learn to use their minds in the service of healing, and become less, rather than more dependent on health professionals."

At HealthRightUSA.org's clinic and spa at the basin of the Dead Sea in Israel, this is the program you will experience. The future which Dr. Weil describes is not quite here in Western hospitals and traditional doctor offices. However, there are many alternative healing programs and modalities around the world.

Here is a link to other Naturopathic Physicians like myself who will carefully guide you to the same kind of proper "holistic" healing system that Dr. Weil speaks of. They will learn about your specific needs and know that it is our oath to "Do no harm" only treat with natural foods and supplements.

My name is Dr. Jennifer Botwick and am associated with HealthRightUSA.org as a consultant, helping patients with an array of conditions (see my list of articles online here). Many of them can be treated with natural medicine and nutritional support. After watching this video above you can hear my experience of HealthRightUSA.org's approach to healing autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, arthritis and type-2 diabetes.

Dr. Jennifer Botwick, ND at www.DrBotwick.com

What causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? - Dr. Jennifer Botwick

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex and mysterious illness affecting the brainand multiple body systems. In fact, for many years those who expressed these symptoms were thought to be imagining them. We now know that this disorder is identified by incapacitating fatigue that is not relieved by rest. Other symptoms may include impaired short-term memory, sore throat, tender lymph nodes in the neck or underarms, muscle pain, joint pain, severe headaches and a long-lasting despondency following physical exertion. Chronic fatigue can also be known as Epstein-Barr, which is the virus responsible for Mono but far more difficult to treat.

Although the cause of the disorder is unknown, triggers may include a variety of stimuli such as viral infection, stress, nutrient deficiency, toxins, and hormonal imbalances. This disease is often treated with pharmaceutical drugs but fortunately it often doesn’t require such a harsh intervention. Natural remedies have been extremely successful in restoring patients to their former energy and vigor.

Naturopathic doctors like myself employ a variety of different approaches to assist patients with chronic fatigue. One of the more widely known herbal treatments is Ginseng. This powerful Asian treatment simultaneously increases energy and counters fatigue. Modern research supports the claims that Ginseng is very effective for improving the energy levels of chronic fatigue patients. I specifically like to proscribe Siberian Ginseng (eleutheroccous senticoses), a natural ginseng that helps the body with stress. Its affects are more gentle while neither stimulating nor sedating.

In addition we use techniques such as acupuncture, castor oil packs, adrenal supportive herbs, Ashwaganda, Rhodiola, and Holy Basil.  We also often recommend counseling for stress management to emotionally support the patient. This holistic approach addresses and treats the myriad causes, physical, chemical and emotional of the disorder.

Chinese medicine, of course, has a wealth of nutritional suggestions as well as some natural remedies that correspond to the symptoms of chronic fatigue symptoms. In this school of medicine many dietary recommendations are offered as well. According to traditional Chinese sources, when a person’s energy levels are down strengthening foods such as jujube dates, beef, and root vegetables are advisable, as well as warming foods, such as soups, and warming spices like black pepper, ginger and cumin.

Ayurvedic  medicine is another direction a patient could take. This approach focuses on improving digestion and eliminating toxins with a detox program employing herbs such as ashwagandha, amla, bala, triphala, and lomatium. (we can discuss these when you contact me below)

Additionally, I have found that all of the following dietary supplements and nutrients will help the chronic fatigue patient to rejuvenate their systems: Digestive enzymes, probiotics, vitamin C, magnesium, beta-carotene, licorice, melatonin, glutamine, whey protein, folic acid as well as tyrosine.

The main challenge with this kind of immune dysfunction is for the individual to re-create his or her lifestyle so as to not repeat the cycle of becoming run-down. The disorder can actually be viewed as an invitation to the patient to construct a lifestyle that will cultivate peace and wellness. This is no small task, and therefore counseling can be a highly effective tool for supporting a person in affecting this change. For this as well, I am available to counsel patients individually to cater to their specific areas of need.

I wish you the best success in your healing journeys, and I look forward to hearing from you.

 Yours in Health & Happiness,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jennifer Botwick

 

Asthma---A Naturopathic Approach by Dr. Jennifer Botwick

Asthma is a term that is often thrown around when we hear a person with breathing disorders. But what are we actually talking about when we use this term? Asthma is most simply defined as an episodic constriction of the bronchial tubes. It is a disorder with symptoms including sudden wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms can be mild or in the worst cases fatal.

When a person is suffering from an asthma attack, the muscular bands that regulate the size of the bronchial tubes inside their bodies tighten. Associations have been made to allergic or emotional causes for this reaction and there is evidence which demonstrate how it may be related to a respiratory infection (as seen to the right below).

Treatment for this disorder is dominated by the mainstream medical approach of proscribing a variety of drugs which, unfortunately, have toxic side effects. For instance, most bronchodilating drugs increase anxiety and sympathetic tone. Furthermore, many inhalers contain steroids, which can be very dangerous because they are addictive and extremely poisonous. In short, although in the moment allopathic drugs can save lives, used over time, they don’t present the best environment to promote healing in the body.

Interestingly, research shows that Asthma is often aggravated by diet. In some cases Asthma might even be caused by diet. It is therefore not surprising that many patients have already been treated successfully by naturopathic doctors through simple dietary recommendations. Factors such as low consumption of fresh fruits and flavanoids weaken the immune system and set the stage for asthmatic tendencies. Simultaneously, an overabundance of fried foods, protein-rich and fat-rich animal products have harmful affects on the body and can aggravate the already weakened immune system.

For long-term prevention it follows that dietary strategies can be extremely effective. For instance, decreasing animal protein in your diet and replacing it with plant protein is a powerful first step. Replacing milk products with other calcium sources is also a valuable practice. Eating organic vegetables and fruits as much as possible is extremely beneficial as well. All of these dietary recommendations will only be effective however if you also cut out  polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine etc. from your diet and use healthier alternatives such as extra virgin olive oil. Additionally, drinking lots of water keeps your respiratory tract secretions more fluid. So stay well hydrated.

Another step you can take to improve this condition is to try to eliminate wheat, corn, soy and sugar from your diet…one-at-a-time for a period of 6-8 weeks and see how you feel. If your situation improves due to abstention by reducing one of these possible trigger foods, than you would do well to stay off of this food for a longer duration (ask your doctor/nutritionist).

Aside from diet, there are many other changes you can make in your lifestyle that will have a positive affect on your asthmatic symptoms. Deep tissue massage, or osteopathic manipulation for example can be extremely helpful for Asthma patients. Avoiding respiratory irritants as much as possible such as smoke, dust, molds, volatile chemicals and the like is also beneficial. One step to take in this direction would be to install a good air filtration system in your house. Sometimes, location alone can play a huge role in aggravating or relieving asthma. Experimentation with living in different locations could unlock the key to your personal healing. Try living in the high mountains, the desert, or near the seacoast if possible. Amazingly, Asthma can actually improve greatly with a simple change of climate. In terms of herbal treatments, traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine (traditional Indian medicine) have much to offer the asthmatic patient and it is well worth it to explore these areas and see what works for you.

The good news is that in many cases, with a patient’s commitment to change habits, Asthma can be reversed or at least significantly improved in as little time as a few months. Based on the experiences of many naturopaths, patients asthmatic symptoms are potentially curable.  I invite anyone who would like to learn more to contact me with questions. As you can see there are many approaches to healing asthma and the information can appear overwhelming.

I am available to counsel patients individually to best suite their individual cases and needs. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Health & Happiness,

Dr. Jennifer Botwick

 

 

 

 

How does Ayurvedic Medicine balance us naturally?

Ayurveda is India’s traditional system of health care. Conceived and developed by the seers (Rishis) and natural scientists through centuries of observations, experiments, discussions, and meditations, Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit for "Science of Life" or "Practices of Longevity."

In practice this system emphasizes prevention of disease, rejuvenation of the body systems, and consequently extension of life span.

The profound premise of Ayurveda is that through guided practices, not only can we prevent heart disease and make our headaches go away, but we can also better understand ourselves and the world around us, live a long healthy life in balance and harmony, achieve our fullest potential, and express our true inner nature on a daily basis.

Ayurveda provides an integrated approach to preventing and treating illness both through lifestyle interventions and ancient natural herbal therapies. To understand how these techniques work you have to delve into the philosophy behind Ayurveda. In Ayurveda, the mind (consciousness) and the body (physical mass) not only influence each other - they are each other. Together they form the mind-body.

Zooming out, with this perspective in mind, it becomes clear that the universal consciousness is an aware "ocean of energy" which is so powerful that it gives rise to the physical world we perceive through our five senses.

Ayurvedic philosophy and practices link us to each aspect of ourselves, reminding us that we are also in unity with every aspect of nature, each other, and the entire universe. Thus, it follows that there can be no mental health without physical health, and vice versa. Because of this, in Ayurveda, symptoms and diseases that might usually be categorized as mental thoughts or feelings are regarded as just as important as symptoms and diseases of the physical body. Both are due to imbalances within a person, and both are treated by restoring the natural balance, mentally and physically to the patient. In Ayurveda your whole life, as well as your lifestyle must be in harmony before you can enjoy true health and balance.

For several thousands of years, these teachings were passed on orally from teacher to student, and used widely in Indian society by rich and poor alike. In current times, there has been a growing interest in Aryeveda that is reinforced by laboratory and clinical studies on Ayurvedic herbal remedies and other therapies that have shown them to have a range of potentially beneficial effects. Additionally, published studies have documented reductions in cardiovascular disease risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and reaction to stress, in individuals who practice Ayurvedic methods. In present-day India, Ayurvedic practitioners receive state-recognized, institutionalized training in parallel to their physician counterparts. Due to all of these innovations in Ayurveda, this healing system is now being used successfully in treating modern disorders such as certain cancers, infectious diseases, diabetes, aging and generally for promoting health.

Ayurveda is applicable to every living thing, as implied by its name: “The Science of Life.” Vedic sciences conceive of every aspect of the world as a living being including the various elements that make up the universe such as air, wind, fire, earth, as well as the planets, stars, etc. In essence, the basic premise of Ayurveda is that the entire cosmos is part of one singular absolute being. Therefore, everything that exists in the vast external universe, the macrocosm, also appears in the internal cosmos of the human body, the microcosm.

When looking through this lens you can see that the human body, consisting of 50-100 million cells, when healthy and in harmony is self-perpetuating and self-correcting just as the universe is. The ancient Ayurvedic text, Charaka, says, "Man is the epitome of the universe. Within man, there is as much diversity as in the world outside. Similarly, the outside world is as diverse as human beings themselves." In other words, all human beings are a living microcosm of the universe and the universe is a living macrocosm of  human beings.

I am Dr. Gaurang Joshi and I welcome you to contact me at my website here if you would like to learn more and travel down this healing journey with me!

 

 

 

 

Her Success Story...Victoria Ann Diaz - Nutritional Health Coach extraordinare!

Victoria Ann’s Healing Story

I received my Bachelor degree in Biology from Western Connecticut State University.  After which time I worked for over 20 years in a variety of prestigious research pharmaceutical companies as scientist, author, keynote speaker, trainer, and auditor.  Having placed my busy career above all else, I found this lifestyle was sending me on a physical and emotional downhill spiral. My career in New York had flourished but at the expense of my health; I was stressed, fatigued, and overweight. 

Before Picture 2005

And then, in 2001, my dream to move my professional career to California was achieved.   I accepted a directorship to head up my own FDA Regulation & Documentation department. Optimistic that this move would solve my health issues I packed my bags, donated my winter clothes to Goodwill, and anticipated a winterless year.  But as fate would have it, the day before I was to give my two weeks notice, I was involved in a head-on collision.  At the time, I had no idea how this accident would change my life forever.  Two years later, after undergoing four surgeries, I was forced to move back to Connecticut for family support.  During that time my health declined rapidly.  I was suffering from chronic pain, stress, sleep deprivation, medications, obesity, depression, brain fog, arthritis, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure; I seemed to have hit rock bottom.

One day, my sister expressed worry about the grey look of my skin and said that she hardly recognized me!  This scared me so much that I decided to seek out alternative healing practices similar to those I had begun years earlier in New York.  My journey back to health began by seeking knowledge about as many alternative treatments as possible.  I started going to wellness workshops, holistic seminars, and soaking up all the books I could get my hands on at Barnes & Noble.  Fate eventually lead me to a social network group in Connecticut called the Naugatuck Holistic Health & Lifestyle Alliance.  It was there that I miraculously received a full scholarship from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) from one of their alumni.  It was with this influence that I was able to turn my health around by eliminating artificial and refined foods, drinking purified water, juicing vegetables, and incorporating many other food and lifestyle alterations.

My personal healing journey and passion for helping others to develop a healthy more energetic lifestyle led me to the holistic health and life coaching field.  Today, (seven years after my accident) I am a “certified holistic health counselor” also certified with The American Association of Drugless Practioners.  I specialize in helping highly stressed and fatigued people find more energy, balance, and happiness which I now enjoy.  In this practice,  I create personalized programs which are flexible and fun food with lifestyle choices that fit each individual best.  I offer workshops and one-on-one health and nutrition coaching to individuals, families, groups, and corporations.  Although the changes I made took time and effort, I have succeeded in obtaining a more peaceful mind, body, and spirit.  As my journey continues to move toward higher levels of well-being, I enjoy inspiring others to begin their own journeys back to health and wellness too.

Here I am in 2007 excited to work with you!

For more information, contact me at my website here or click here to tell us your own story of healing!

Victoria Ann Diaz

Arthritis a natural approach to treatment - Ask our Dr. Jenn!

Arthritis has been recently labeled the “Nation’s Primary Crippler,” and it among other inflammation responses (Diabetes, High cholesterol, obesity etc) are spreading at a mind-boggling rate. Why are the numbers increasing? Are the standard treatments effective? Is there an alternative path to healing? To answer these questions I will first explain the condition and then possible treatments.

Arthritis is defined primarily as an inflammation of the joints. Symptoms may include joint pain, stiffness, fatigue, swelling, redness and enlarged bones in the fingers. The most common type of Arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is usually caused by poor nutrition and aging. This type of arthritis often causes knee, back, hand, wrist, shoulder and hip pain. At its worst it can even lead to surgical replacements. The sad reality is that most people over 60 in this country have some symptoms of osteoarthritis.

In fact, according to statistics, arthritis sufferers spend more than $1 billion annually on drug treatments, one million new cases are diagnosed every year and the number is growing. What is causing this growth is primarily a reaction of “arachidonic acid” in the body. This acid, the chemical component of foods, is the cause of the inflammation. Arachidonic acid mostly comes from animal products, but can be found in other processed foods as well.

The medical profession generally offers drugs and surgery without considering the causes of the condition. The worst part of the situation is that often the medications provided are actually considerably toxic and in extreme cases can cause serious harm.

Fortunately, there are safe treatments. If you are only willing to depart from accepted medical norms and take a natural approach, you may not only to improve this condition, but greatly improve your total general health. By consulting with a naturopath, they can create and follow a simple, logical and holistic approach, mostly hinged on dietary modification and nutritional supplements. With dedication of effort in most successful cases, they may realize a vast improvement and even reversal of their symptoms.

Realistically, not every patient completely recovers because each case is unique. Obviously, less extreme cases, those people who catch the condition earlier in its progression are more easily reversed. However, with a strong commitment to healing, when a person follows a recommended naturopathic diet/lifestyle changes, at the very least a vast majority will no longer have to use medications.

To better understand why the naturopathic approach works so well let’s take a look at what is really happening in the body when we diagnose “Arthritis.” Our supply of blood can be easily impaired by factors such as smoking, a diet heavy in “arachidonic acid,” saturated fats and a system deficient in micronutrients.  The poor circulation that results carries oxygen and other nutrients to the joints. Reduced oxygenation of the joints consequently interferes with the normal repair and bone remodeling that is constantly taking place in our bodies.

 

Now that we understand that the cause of arthritis is primarily due to a build up of acid in the blood vessels, the appropriate treatment becomes clear. The answer is primarily a “low acid” diet. Adjustments to diet such as lowering one’s amounts of  “acidic” animal protein and raising the quantity of “low acid” (known as alkaline) nutrient rich vegetable protein supports the body tremendously and may actually reverse the very cause of the condition and all its symptoms.

High-doses of fish oil have also been proven effective as “anti-inflammitory” in treating arthritis. Various other nutritional supplements, depending on the patient, as well as the occasional fast are yet other venues to promote healing in the body.

 

Just remember one important piece of information: from a naturopathic perspective, if you create the appropriate “wellness” circumstances, the body is capable of healing itself. However, every person, and therefore every case is unique and requires its own specific treatments.

I am happy to speak with anyone individually first by email to answer personal questions. If you’d like further assistance I am available for private counseling as well. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Health & Happiness,

Dr. Jennifer Botwick