Here at Elevated Natural Health, one of the pillars of our treatment protocols is Ozone Therapy. Read on to learn more about what it is, how it’s used, and why it may be for you.
What is ozone? Ozone is a gas and a form of oxygen found naturally in nature. It’s the smell you smell during a lightning storm. It consists of 3 atoms of oxygen bound together. In this form, the molecule is reactive, and it will break apart readily to form 2-atom molecules, which is the more stable form of oxygen and the type of oxygen that we breathe. What is the brief history of ozone? Ozone was first discovered in 1785 and has been used as an antimicrobial agent non-medically since at least the 1870s. It has been used medically since about 1900, first in European countries and later in the United States closer to the 1980s. How is it used medically? In medicine, we can use ozone many ways. It is used:
Ozone is so versatile in its applications. It really could be considered on almost all treatment plans! How could it be helpful for me? Are you struggling with poor immune function (chronic illness or repeat infection/illness)? Dealing with low metabolism? Poor circulation? Looking to improve your exercise performance? Interested in detoxing to improve your skin health? Or have a persistent rash that is not responding to other treatments? Why not give it a try? Ozone is fairly easy, relatively low cost, and exceedingly safe. It is definitely worth talking to you doctor about your options around ozone therapy. One more thing… Keep in mind that ozone is NOT approved for the use of anything by the FDA. It is NOT covered by insurance either. Therefore, it’s unlikely that conventionally trained medical doctors will have much education around the use of ozone for anything medical. Ozone IS toxic when it is inhaled (cautions are always made to prevent this from happening when we use it for any treatment). When used properly under the guidance of appropriately trained professionals, ozone is very effective and safe.
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Neural Therapy is one of the best pain remedies available.
My patients love it. They report that it it one of the best things they have ever tried. That it shifts their bodies in some of the most powerful ways. They tell me that it helps with their pain. What’s the best part? It is gentle, minimally invasive, safe, and very quick to receive. There is no recovery and very few potential side effects. Do you know why I like it? Because it can heal people on a higher level – beyond their physical state. It can heal people on the energetic level too. Often people are in pain because they have trauma on a higher level than just the physical. They’ve treated the physical already, and their pain isn’t better. This means we need to treat on a higher level. Think about back pain for example – sometimes this happens when people are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. We have to move and deal with this energetic weight (stress, trauma, emotions, etc) before their back pain will really shift. Does this relate? Do you think your pain may be coming from a higher level? Perhaps neural therapy could help you get to the next level with your health journey. What's the difference between facials, PRP Microneedling, Botox, Synthetic Fillers, and PPP Filler?1/21/2024 Let’s talk about the treatment options like facials, microneedling, PRP injections, PPP injections, synthetic fillers, and Botox. These are all in-office procedures that target various skin concerns.
What is the difference between all these and which ones might you need? Here's a brief overview of each: 1. Facials: - Description: Facials are skincare treatments performed by a licensed esthetician. They typically involve cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, massage, and the application of various skincare products. - Purpose: Facials aim to improve the overall health and appearance of the skin by addressing issues such as acne, dryness, and uneven texture. 2. PRP Microneedling: - Description: PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) microneedling involves the use of a device with tiny needles to create micro-injuries in the skin. Platelet-rich plasma, derived from the patient's blood, is then applied to stimulate the healing process. - Purpose: This procedure promotes collagen production, helps move lymph, improves skin tone and texture, and can be used to address fine lines, wrinkles, and scars. This treatment especially shines for the treatment of acne scars. 3. Botox Injections: - Description: Botox is a neurotoxin that is injected into specific muscles to temporarily relax them. It is commonly used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines caused by repetitive muscle movements. - Purpose: Botox injections are primarily used for cosmetic purposes to smooth out dynamic/superficial wrinkles like forehead lines, crow’s feet, and “elevens” (glabellar lines). 4. Synthetic Fillers: - Description: Synthetic fillers, such as hyaluronic acid-based fillers, are injected into specific areas of the face to add volume and reduce the appearance of deeper wrinkles. - Purpose: Fillers are used to restore volume, plump lips, and soften facial lines. They can also be used for contouring and enhancing specific facial features. (Please note: At this time, we are not offering synthetic fillers at Elevated Natural Health.) 5. PPP Fillers: - Description: PPP (Platelet Poor Plasma) fillers are autologous fillers made similar to PRP (by collecting a sample of blood from the patient) and then heating it to denature the albumin protein in the blood. This converts the plasma into a thick, viscous gel-like substance (made entirely of one’s own blood). This substance is then injected into the deeper wrinkles or areas of deficit on the face (hollowing). Once injected, it dissolves over a period of several week, but, in it’s place, new collagen forms. This effect can look more natural than that of synthetic fillers - Purpose: PPP Filler is a more natural option compared to synthetic fillers. It does not cause as significant of a change in volume the way synthetic fillers can. The bottom line is that it's important to note that the choice of procedure depends on individual needs, preferences, and the specific concerns being addressed. Consultation with a qualified and experienced medical professional is crucial to determine the most suitable treatment for each person. Ever wondered if you are getting all of the essential vitamins in your diet or if you may need to supplement? Well, here’s a cheat sheet for you to see if your diet really contains all of the essential vitamins. The bummer, though, is even if you ARE eating all of these foods, chances are that you still will need supplementation of some or all of them. Unfortunately our food sources are just not as rich as they once were in vitamins or minerals. (That’s the topic for another post though!) Here goes the list! Vitamin A: Actions in the body:
Vitamin B: Actions in the body:
Vitamin C: Actions in the body:
Vitamin D: Actions in the body:
Vitamin E: Actions in the body:
Vitamin K: Actions in the body:
If you don’t see your diet showing up under all of these vitamins, it may be time to talk to your doctor about a vitamin supplement to make sure your body is getting enough of these essential nutrients. Testing: If you're just curious about your vitamin levels in your body and cells and want to make sure you have enough of them all, that's also something we can help with. There are specific labs that can be checked to determine if you have enough of these essential vitamins. Send us a message below to get started with this. Most people agree, especially if you live in an overcast climate like we do in the Pacific Northwest, they feel happier on a sunny day than a gloomy day. Why is this? There is a definite relationship between the sunlight and our mood. Many people know humans get vitamin D from the sun. Is it perhaps this vitamin D that makes us happy? If so, what other things does vitamin D do?
Let's first talk about some myths of vitamin D:
The truth is, no matter where you live, you are likely to have a deficiency in vitamin D if you're not already supplementing. What's more, even if you aren't frankly "deficient", you are likely to have sub-optimal levels. Although vitamin D is made in the skin when the skin comes in contact with sunlight, most of the time we aren't getting the right type of sun rays or even getting the right part of our body in the sunlight in order to make the vitamin D.
Unless you eat mushroom-covered cod steak with cups of fortified milk all day long, you most likely are NOT getting enough vitamin D from your diet. Vitamin D is not readily found in fruits and vegetables, like most other vitamins. For that reason, most people need to supplement with vitamin D.
Although vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin meaning that it stores in your fat cells, high vitamin D status tends to optimize immune function, decrease pain, decrease allergies, and support healthy cognitive function. The only negative side effect I've seen with high vitamin D levels is increased calcium absorption which increases risks of things like calcium kidney stones. I generally target about 70-100 ng/ml as the ideal range for my patients' vitamin D levels.
The truth is, the normal reference range for vitamin D is quite wide - for most labs it's 35 - 100 ng/ml. What I've seen in most of my patients is they feel the best when their vitamin D levels are as close to 100 as possible (between 70-100 ng/ml ideally). So, unless your vitamin D is already very close to 100 ng/ml, you might feel even better with more vitamin D. Ok, so maybe I need to take vitamin D…now what can it do for my anxiety? One thing we do know is that vitamin D acts in the body a bit more like a hormone than like a true vitamin. That is to say, vitamin D is responsible for signaling more than it is used as a cofactor for different processes to occur, like most other vitamins. Many are aware of the relationship between vitamin D and mood issues like depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Most people aren't aware of the connection between vitamin D and the frustrating feeling of anxiety. It may make sense that if vitamin D can send a signal to your brain that it is happy (i.e. not depressed), then it may also be able to signal to the brain that it is content (i.e. not anxious). In fact, that's exactly what happens. Vitamin D and Neurotransmitters Just as a lack in the production of serotonin is one reason why a person may experience depression, an overall imbalance in the neurotransmitters is one reason a person may experience anxiety. One of the roles of vitamin D in the body is to assist in the release of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Although the exact mechanism of vitamin D deficiency triggering anxiety is not well understood, it seems to be most related to this effect of the vitamin D in signaling appropriate release and metabolism of the neurotransmitters. Joe, the anxious teenager Joe, youngest of 4 (and the only male child) was in the midst of his freshman year in high school. His mom and he came to see me with a chief complaint of anxiety and chest tightness. For a 15-year-old, this is a pretty rare complaint in my practice. The boy was not athletic, preferred technical work over anything outdoors, and lived in the PNW. We checked his vitamin D levels at the first office visit: they came back at the lowest I had ever seen - 9 ng/ml!!! I couldn't believe it! We started oral doses of 20,000 IU daily + a weekly dose of 100,000 IU to help raise his vitamin D levels. After a month of oral supplementation, his vitamin D level rose to 34 ng/ml. More important though, he reported less anxiety and sleep had even improved. How much vitamin D is recommended daily? If you ask the FDA, the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin D is 400 IU - yes four HUNDRED. Every doctor has his/her own opinion about the best daily dose of vitamin D, but in general, most doctors recommend at least 2000 IU daily for adults. This dosing can be much more liberal if a full health assessment has been made. One last thing… There is usually more than one thing contributing to a person's anxiety. Most of the treatment plans I put together for people have a few items geared towards modulating anxiety. Almost always, though, vitamin D is one of the first things on the list. Perhaps you're like many of our clients - wanting to keep your hair, skin, and joints looking and feeling full and youthful, but you aren't ready to use the more toxic options out there. Maybe you've even tried some of the conventional hair regrowth or skin-firming techniques and had little or no results. You're in luck! There are some natural solutions to hair loss, wrinkles, sagging skin, cellulite, osteoarthritis, and excess adipose cells (fat cells) that really work and are actually good for you. At Elevated Natural Health, because we love ozone so much, we've combined the traditional PRP (platelet rich plasma) techniques with ozone to make them even more effective and healthy! Ozone is known for its immune-modulating and immune-supportive actions. You can read more about ozone here. Natural Hair Regrowth Treatments - PRP Hair RestorationDoes it work? That's everyone's first question. Understandably, as there are lots of false claims out there these days. The answer is a firm "YES!" In fact, research has shown that even when conventional prescription medications have failed for hair regrowth, PRP (platelet rich plasma) can still work! Whether you struggle with autoimmune alopecia (hair loss), androgenic hair loss (the type most men get as they age), or hair loss as a result of hormone imbalances, PRP is a good option for you! Check out these studies showing the efficacy of PRP for Hair Regeneration:
How does it work? PRP can work to stimulate hair growth at the cellular level by increasing follicle viability, preventing apoptosis of cells needed for hair growth, and increasing the density of the hair by prolonging certain stages of hair growth (specifically the catagen phase). What does the treatment involve? The treatment involves collecting a blood sample in the physician's office, collecting platelets from your blood sample, activating them with various nutrients like calcium, vitamin C, and ozone, and injecting them into the skin on your scalp (or wherever you're trying to regrow hair). We usually recommend a series of six (6) treatments on a monthly interval. Most people notice hair growth in about 3-4 months (common time length with any hair regrowth treatment, both conventional and alternative). Do I take any supplements during the process? Most likely yes. You may need to address some underlying causes of the hair loss before seeing lasting results. Your practitioner will talk to you about what else is involved in treating the cause of your hair loss (whether it's hormonal, autoimmune, allergic, or age-related). Cellulite TreatmentsDo you have persistent cellulite or fat deposits in certain parts of your body? Have you tried everything from detox wraps to cleansing juice drinks to exercising in a wet suit to try to get those areas of cellulite and fat to shrink? We have too. Then we found ozone. Ozone can help to break up the fascial matrix that surrounds and creates cellulite pockets in legs, arms, and on the torso. Ozone also works to stimulate lysis of fat cells, modulate the immune system, and increase microcirculation in these areas, further promoting the improvement in the tissue and decreasing the appearance of fat and cellulite. You can read a study about this here. The PRP "Facelift" You've definitely heard about it...but what exactly is it and does it work? Let's break it down:
What is the PRP Facelift? This "facelift" isn't quite what you've seen in the movies - there's no scalpels, no surgery, and no recovery time. You're not going to look like you've been sliced, diced, and stuffed at the end of it. Most of your friends will notice a difference, but they won't know for sure what is different - just that you look more refreshed. Most importantly, you'll look and feel like you're glowing! What is used in the PRP Facelift? Just like with the hair regrowth treatments, the procedure starts with a blood draw to collect the platelets from your blood. These platelets are then activated with other nutrients (calcium, vitamin C, and ozone) and injected into the skin on your face, neck, hands, and chest (as desired) using a tiny needle. Wow - this sounds like a lot of injections...does it hurt? There are more than a few injections - your practitioner and you can decide exactly how much you want to treat in one session though. We do utilize topical numbing agents to keep the pain to a minimum in areas that we know are especially tender for most people. What am I going to look like afterwards? Unlike other plastic surgery treatments, you will look pretty much like yourself afterwards. You may have a few small pink spots (they look like small mosquito bites), but most of the injection sites will almost instantly "disappear". You may get a bruise (as with any injection technique), but they can usually be easily covered with a little makeup. Most people find they are able to apply their normal amount of makeup later that day or the next day and carry on with their normal schedules. Your face will NOT be covered in blood afterwards and you will NOT have to take sick-days from work to "recover!" How effective is this? How many treatments do I need? Because this is a natural treatment that promotes your own collagen to regrow to support the skin matrix, the results are not overnight. You'll look different, but more gradually. Your wrinkles will slowly fade as your collagen matrix regrows under your skin surface. Your cheeks will slowly regain a lift and your face will slowly become more full and supple. As with most things, everyone is different. Most people need somewhere between 3-4 treatments at monthly intervals and possibly annual "tune-ups", but for some people, they may get one treatment and be perfectly happy with the results for several months. You and your practitioner can decide what will be the best thing for you and your cosmetic needs. Do I take anything orally during this process? Your practitioner will almost definitely recommend some oral agents to take on a regular basis to continue the process of collagen healing and regrowth. These nutrients include things like vitamin C, B vitamins, and sometimes collagen powders. It's best to discuss your current diet and nutritional plan with your physician to get the best plan of oral supplementation. What are Food Allergies:
With food ALLERGIES, when you eat a contending food, there is an actual hypersensitivity reaction by the immune system leading to rashes, hives, itching of eyes or throat, or even anaphylaxis. This is the person that cannot even be in the same room as a dish of peanuts, for example. This is also the type of reaction some people have to a bee sting. This person should carry an EpiPen and be prepared to use it if they come in contact with the allergen. How to test: Typically testing is relatively easy and involves either a skin-prick test performed by an allergist (a type of doctor specializing in allergies and allergic reactions) OR a blood test checking for IgEs to a certain type of food. IgE molecules indicate a hypersensitivity reaction to a food group or other allergen (pollen, dander, etc), and anyone with IgEs to an allergen should carry an EpiPen. What are Food Sensitivities: Food Sensitivities are much more common reactions, though not as immediately life-threatening. Though, I do like to point out that people that have food sensitivities that go unaddressed are likely to have inflammation that becomes chronic and leads to a myriad of other life-threatening illnesses (i.e. cardiovascular diseases, cancers, memory/brain issues, arthritis, etc.). Inflammation is key when considering your overall health, and eliminating foods that are causing inflammation is paramount in maintaining and optimizing your health. Common reactions to food sensitivities include: rashes (eczema, psoriasis, acne), heart palpitations, asthma, hair loss, joint pain, digestive issues (reflux, diarrhea, constipation), post-nasal drip, sinus issues, headaches/migraines, and more. How to test: Testing is a bit more complicated than it is for Food Allergies (IgE reactions). With food sensitivities, sometimes people will have elevated IgG or IgA levels (different types of molecules in the immune system that recognize more chronic antigens). While some people acknowledge that you could have IgG and/or IgAs for any food you've eaten since your body has "seen" it and responded to it, I have seen that too high of IgG or IgA could also be a problem. It makes sense that when these IgG and/or IgA levels get too high, this indicates an over-response of your immune system, and thus increased inflammation from these foods. So, back to testing: Testing can be done with a blood test, an elimination/rechallenge diet, or a pulse test (or a combination of those). Each of these testing methods has pros and cons, but all of them do help guide you to understand your particular sensitivities. 1) Blood Test: Commonly done through private labs, this blood test takes an average of about 1-3 weeks to return and typically gives you a bar graph analysis showing the foods you have the highest reaction to. The pros: This is a very easy way to test and the data is pretty clear - it's easy to see which bar graphs are biggest, and thus it's easy to identify the foods you react the strongest to. Cons: This test costs money and it has a lot of false positives and false negatives by nature. 2) Elimination/Rechallenge Diet: This is a well-known way to strategically avoid foods that you are wanting to "test" for a food sensitivity. Typically, I recommend people avoid the testing foods for a period of 3-6 weeks, depending on their symptoms. After that time period, foods are reintroduced strategically and then we watch for symptoms to arise after the testing food. The Pros: This is the gold-standard for testing foods as the body doesn't lie. If you eat something and get a reaction, there's no question that you have a sensitivity to that food. This is a relatively inexpensive way to test, except the cost of wasted foods that you may find out you don't tolerate. The Cons: This test is difficult to adhere to for many people. It requires a lot of planning and strong-will to avoid the foods when not even certain if reacting to them or not. 3) Pulse Testing: This relatively simple testing method involves first counting your pulse for a minute, then tasting (holding in mouth but not swallowing) a questionable food and re-counting the pulse. If the pulse goes up by more than 6 beats in a minute, the person is likely to have a sensitivity to that food. So, do you have any of the Food Sensitivity symptoms? If so, are you ready to explore your Food Sensitivities? Even if you cannot pinpoint a particular negative symptom but you're still interested in checking foods, it could be worth testing the 8 most common food allergens/sensitivities (wheat, peanut, egg, milk, fish, soybean, shellfish, tree nut) and possibly another common food group that tends to trigger inflammation (the nightshade family of fruits/vegetables). Not sure where to start? Need help sorting out your data? Want to try a blood test? Great! I can help you with all of these and more. Simply fill out our Contact form here, and I'll get back to you right away. By Dr. Jessica Corbeille Harris, ND There’s really nothing quite like a migraine.
They hurt. You can’t see. You puke. You can’t focus. And work? How are you supposed to work with a migraine? What are the top causes of Migraines? Migraines are truly debilitating… And what causes a migraine for one person may be totally different than what causes one for someone else. Here are some of the top causes of migraines I see in my practice:
What can you do about your migraines?? Well, let’s go through the list I mentioned above and see what you can get started on today to improve your migraine threshold tomorrow. How about trying:
And what if you’ve done all that and you still have migraines? Or if you get a “breakthrough migraine”?? Or what if you just don’t know where to start?? Then what?? Then you come see me!! I specialize in various treatments for pain including trigger point injections and anti-inflammatory injections for your nerves causing your migraines. Scared of needles? I hear you, and you’re not alone. I’d love to talk to you about this treatment anyway and even discuss some preliminary [needle-free] treatments we can do that may be just as effective for you. Know someone with migraines that could benefit from this information? PLEASE share this article and pass on my contact information. Migraines are literally THE WORST and no one should have to continue to suffer when there is help available!! Have pain or arthritis? Avoid NSAIDs and Steroids – they both lead to joint breakdown! By Dr. Jessica Corbeille Harris, ND Do you have pain? Do you have “bone on bone”?
Have you seen your primary care doctor about it? If so, they’ve probably recommended you take up to 800mg of ibuprofen once or twice a day for the pain. They’ve also probably recommended a steroid injection (or sent you to someone else who did). NSAID prescription is one of the first-line treatment recommendations for moderate to severe osteoarthritis. And steroid injections remain part of the standard of care for treatment of joint pain if NSAIDs haven’t helped (or sometimes in combination with NSAIDs). The next step is physical therapy and/or surgery, and that’s sometimes all your doctor may have to offer. The NSAIDS and/or steroid injection(s) may have helped…and if you’re one for which they did – GREAT! For the majority of my patients, though, these treatments haven’t helped. What’s more is that for several years now (at least 10), research has shown that corticosteroid (i.e. “steroid”) injections lead to increased joint deterioration. Newer research is also revealing that NSAID medications, in addition to stressing your gastrointestinal tract, may actually be causing deterioration in your joints as well! So why is this the standard of care in our model? What else can be done!? When you have pain or when your doctor has recommended NSAIDs or steroid injections – STOP!! Think PROLOTHERAPY FIRST! Prolotherapy works to repair arthritic joints (“bone on bone”) and stop pain. In this treatment, the joint is treated with natural products like dextrose, saline, and sometimes vitamins and growth factors to promote the healing from within. There’s no masking of the pain or decreasing the inflammation – in fact, the opposite is true. With prolotherapy, we trigger a small amount of controlled inflammation alongside administration of the proper nutrients to allow your joint to heal in the proper way. This is true healing. So, the next time you or your friends or family have pain, before you consider taking medication or getting steroids injected into the area, STOP! Think PROLOTHERAPY FIRST!! Check out these articles from the Journal of Prolotherapy for more information: http://journalofprolotherapy.com/the-acceleration-of-articular-cartilage-degeneration-in-osteoarthritis-by-nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs/?fbclid=IwAR3liqiawvv7UH0lGnV_lGgEFnZJqLJN4vNRbXQ9Xd5FuJzJD4aVnSf6RzA http://journalofprolotherapy.com/the-deterioration-of-articular-cartilage-in-osteoarthritis-by-corticosteroid-injections/ By Dr. Jessica Corbeille Harris, ND It’s that time of year! The time of year where we embark on family BBQs, camping trips, and other get-out-town escapes. What do you bring? Here’s a few ideas to add to your checklist!
Enjoy your holiday weekend with your friends, family, and loved ones! |
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