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Why We All Need Medical-Grade Detox in the 21st Century

“According to our research, in less than two decades the exponential rate of increase of POPs (persistent organic pollutants) around the world will soon prevent almost half of newborns worldwide from developing normally and with at least one birth defect.” -Dr Marin Eastman (Tobias Environmental Research Center, 2011)

8 years after this quote and this is our reality. The rates of autism, ADD, allergies, seizures, asthma, and childhood obesity and diabetes has skyrocketed in the last 20 years, and show no signs of slowing. It’s predicted that if current trends continue, 1 in 10 kids could be autistic by 2025.

Western Medicine has been of little help in pointing to the potential cause of this epidemic, focusing only on the treatment of symptoms, often using pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments. This is good news for insurance companies and Big Pharma, who make billions when people remain ill, but is terrible news for the rest of us. It means that we need to break out of the insurance model to find tools that will actually reverse and prevent disease, and not rely on our doctors for all the answers. 

In a country where over 40% of adults are obese, over 30% of the population suffers from anxiety or depression, and it’s expected that over 37% of us will have cancer at some point in our lives, I find it interesting when people still swear ONLY by Western Medicine, claiming it has all the answers. If we want to turn these trends around, we have to learn how to think outside the box and not expect that everything can be solved with a pill. I suspect that the reason why most people are resistant to this idea is because getting to the root of imbalances requires a lot more effort than taking a prescription.

“The key to creating health is figuring out the cause of the problem and then providing the right conditions for the body and soul to thrive. It isn’t taking another medication.” ~ Mark Hyman, M.D.

Here’s the reality: The POPs (persistent organic pollutants) that we are all exposed to simply by being alive in the 21st century accumulate in the fatty tissues (brain, breasts, reproductive organs) and have been shown to pass easily into the placenta and breast milk of pregnant mothers. These POPs remain in the environment, even if the EPA bans their use. This means that with each new generation, a concentrated level of POPs are passed down, making it SO important for parents to detox before conception. This is how we will stop this cycle from continuing. 

But aren’t these conditions genetic?

No. You are a result of both genetics and epigenetics (the environment around the gene). A copy of your genes is found inside each of your ten trillion cell nuclei. Gene expression itself is dependent on minerals bound to enzymes, which are specialized peptides made from amino acids. If the inside of your cell is clogged up with rancid oils, heavy metals, estrogenic chemicals, and artificial sweeteners and preservatives, then your cell’s manufacturing assembly line will have the wrong parts from which to build new proteins and peptides. When your cells spit out the wrong product, it is broadcasting the wrong message to the body. This miscommunication then triggers a cascade of other problems, which eventually turn into uncomfortably symptoms and a “diagnoses of disease”. But, if your diet is free of GMO foods and pesticides, and when you eat a diverse, nutrient dense diet, your “epigenetic” environment will tend to write blueprints that tell your genes to make “healthy, disease-free” proteins. However, before this will make a difference, you must first clean out the toxic build-up that has accumulated in your body over the years. 

“Our body’s natural detoxification system is designed to support our health by eliminating waste products from our metabolism and from environmental toxins. Like any other hardworking system, it needs periodic rest and support to continue functioning optimally.” -Mark Hyman, MD

So I can run down to Super Supplements to grab a bottle of “liver detox” and call it good, right?

Unfortunately, there’s a lot more to a comprehensive detox than just taking a supplement. 

In order to detox safely and effectively you must: 

  • take a medical-grade detox supplement (which you can’t buy over-the-counter so you need to find a medical practitioner who specializes in this)
  • You need to eliminate ALL of the toxins from your diet and lifestyle (it’s usually way more than people think so you’ll want guidance)
  • Excrete thoroughly (through digestion, sweat, urine)
  • Reduce stress (otherwise your liver and organs won’t be able to heal)
  • Do all of this for at least 2-3 weeks, 2-4 times a year 

The first time I did a 21 day detox I was shocked at how quickly I noticed results. It’s really normal to feel crappy for the first few days (especially if you’re eliminating toxins you consume regularly, like caffeine, sugar, gluten, and alcohol). I knew this would happen because I was working with a Functional Medicine provider who was guiding me through the process. After about 5 days it felt as if the fog was lifting. My digestion improved significantly, my acne started to go away, and I began to feel more mental clarity. But the detox was only one piece of the puzzle. 

Because I had been struggling with chronic anxiety, depression, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for years, I decided that I would finally invest in some testing in addition to doing the detox. I ended up doing a Food sensitivity blood test that revealed 26 foods I was unknowingly reacting to as a result of Leaky Gut, and a Salivary hormone test that showed I was in stage-3 adrenal fatigue. Do you notice bloating/gas after eating certain foods, but have trouble pin-pointing what it is you’re reacting to? So did I. That’s why investing in this test was so worth it for me – no more guessing! 

With the data in front of me I felt so much relief, even though the results weren’t great. I had gone from doctor to doctor seeking help and never once did they ask me what I was eating or why I was stressed. They only offered antibiotics and antidepressants, which I refused adamantly because I KNEW something else was wrong and that my body wasn’t deficient in medication – that would only offer a band-aid, not a cure. Thank goodness I trusted my gut, because once I implemented the lifestyle changes and supplements recommended by my coach, everything changed for the better. 

Within 4 weeks of beginning this detoxification protocol I lost 15 lbs (we retain water when inflamed), felt more energy, had less gas/bloating, my acne and eczema was nearly gone, I was starting to wake with energy, and was quickly learning how to feed myself correctly. The foods I was reacting to were eliminated for 5 months and then I retested, revealing a significant reduction in the sensitivities. Many of the foods that I was previously reacting to were now in the clear, since that 5 months gave my body time to reduce the immune response my body had created as a result of food proteins leaking into the bloodstream through the small intestine. Every American has Leaky Gut unless they’ve actively worked on healing it, meaning parents pass it down to their children unless they’ve done the repair before conception.

In addition to physical symptoms improving, my mental health was also changing. I began doing hypnotherapy around this time and was able to release trauma and other suppressed emotions that were contributing to my imbalances. Much like comprehensive lab testing gets to the root of many physical symptoms, hypnotherapy gets to the root (which is in the subconscious) of emotional imbalances like anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, and addiction, and more. It’s been shown to be 94.9% effective in as few as 6 sessions for treating chronic imbalances. You can read more about it here. 

“Half the trouble in life is caused by pretending there isn’t any.” -Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth

So let me ask you – when was the last time you did a comprehensive medical-grade detox? If the answer is never, then it’s safe to say that all of the toxins you’ve absorbed in your life are still in your system, contributing to that pain, congestion, heartburn, and bloating. And if it hasn’t already, you can guarantee that these symptoms will eventually get louder (and potentially turn into disease) and that inflammation will pass down to your future-children. 

This doesn’t have to be your future. The tools are out there, you just have to use them. 

If you’d like to work 1:1 to learn the tools that have brought me and my clients into balance, schedule a consultation here. All of my programs are individualized and meant to get straight to the root of your imbalances.

No matter which route you go, I wish you all the best in your wellness journey and hope you find the tools you need to live your best life. I truly believe that we are the microcosm of the macrocosm and that in order to change the world for the better we must first start with ourselves. 

In vibrant health, 

Kendyl 

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Why Hypnotherapy Works

When I was 5 years old I was molested by a babysitter. In these moments of powerlessness the only power a child has is over their mind, and so it’s common for them to dissociate from the experience in an attempt to reduce the trauma. Often times children don’t remember these isolated traumas because of this mental coping strategy, and this dissociative pattern often follows them into adulthood. 

Until doing hypnotherapy, I didn’t fully remember this traumatic experience. I sometimes saw flashes of it in my memory, but assumed it was some terrible nightmare I was remembering, not reality. 

You may ask yourself, “Why on earth would anyone want to go back to these traumas in hypnotherapy?” No one wants to reexperience trauma, and that isn’t what happens in hypnotherapy. In hypnotherapy, you’re able to go back to these traumas with support and resources so that instead of re-traumatizing you, it empowers you. The reality is that these traumas are stuck in your subconscious somewhere,  creating patterns in adulthood that often aren’t in your highest good, and keeping them in the shadows only continues to give them power. For me, I developed chronic anxiety at around age 11 that followed me into adulthood and debilitated me from fully enjoying my life. I had constant nausea, struggled with insomnia, and always put others needs before my own. I embraced dissociative behaviors like binge eating, smoking pot, and oversleeping because I felt the unconscious need to cope with chronic anxiety. This went on for years – I even tried consistent traditional talk therapy and it never made any difference in the way I felt or behaved once I would leave the therapy office. 

After 3 hypnotherapy sessions I made more progress than in 6 years of talk therapy.

This is because only 10% of our minds are conscious, and the remaining 90% is subconscious. This means that we are unaware of our ‘operating system’, one that was formed during childhood with an undeveloped brain. This is why in order to actually change a pattern like anxiety, depression, addiction, phobias, weight issues and even physiological imbalances like chronic pain or autoimmunity, you must explore the subconscious to shine light on where these patterns actually began. 

During hypnotherapy, we use a mild level of hypnosis to relax the ego and conscious mind so that we can get straight to the root of your presenting issue – which is in the subconscious. You’re still fully aware of your surroundings and can’t be controlled by your therapist like you might see in stage hypnosis. We’re able to get to the root of your anxiety, for example, by regressing back to one of the first times you felt this way. Memories will voluntarily surface and from there we’re able to explore what you came to believe about yourself and the world during these situations. Trauma is relative to your experience but we all have it. For some, it might be that mom forgot to pick them up from kindergarten one day. For others, it might be more obvious trauma like sexual or physical abuse. Either way, when a child experiences this fear, they conclude certain things about themselves- beliefs that become the wiring that follows them into adulthood. The kid sitting on the steps watching all her friends get picked up that realized mom wasn’t coming might conclude that she isn’t important. When I was molested, my belief I took away was that I’m not safe. These beliefs get stored in your subconscious and become the filter in which you process information in the world. We also form behaviors related to these beliefs like, “I won’t stick up for myself,” or, “I’m going to hide.”

This is why talk therapy only scratches the surface of our unhealthy patterns. The reason why hypnotherapy works so quickly is because you’re able to go back to these memories, discover the old subconscious beliefs that still control the way you think, and then change them. 

Once you reach a memory, you also have the opportunity to release the suppressed emotions that have been stuck in your body ever since which could be creating physical symptoms like nausea, pain, sweaty palms, weight gain, etc. This is done in a safe and contained space so that you do not become retraumatized. You are then able to reclaim parts of yourself that may have been left behind in these traumatic events. Things like your power, courage, autonomy, joy, or curiosity. As you release the pent-up emotions, reclaim the pieces that were lost, and form new beliefs about yourself and the world along with new behaviors, you’ll find that the present-day issue you wanted to work on doesn’t have as much power in your daily life. A situation that might have triggered your old belief of not being safe or important won’t have the same strength as it once did because in choosing a new, more productive belief, you’ve literally formed a new neural pathway for information to process through. Eventually this will become the new filter without even having to think about it. 

The lesson here is that in order to get to the root of your unproductive patterns, you have to dive into the subconscious. Most of us have spent decades suppressing our emotions and so it takes courage and trust to willingly allow them to surface. But the beautiful thing is that once they surface, they can then release, no longer subconsciously controlling the way you perceive the world. You can gently and lovingly take the wheel from your child self and become the adult driver of your vehicle. You can take your power back and no longer be prisoner to your anxiety,  depression, or addiction. It’s an extremely freeing feeling to know that you’re no longer controlled by those who traumatized you as a little one. My little girl who had her power taken away is no longer afraid and anxious. She’s joyful and courageous, her passion for life reignited. Once you learn how to love on your inner child, everything changes.

Learn more here.

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Paleo Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

Full of protein, healthy fats, and all that pumpkin spice goodness you’re craving this autumn. With a sugar-free option these babies hardly count as dessert! As a Certified Integrative Medicine Health Coach I would definitely place these in the “healthy snack” category. 🙂

Like many of my recipes these babies can be frozen if you want to make extra for later. I try to optimize my time by doubling or even tripling recipes to have for later. If I’m in a rush, I grab one of these or my Power Cookies from the freezer (and wait 5-10 minutes or so if I don’t want it too cold).

Ingredients

¼ cup grass-fed butter, cold ghee or coconut oil

 ½ cup coconut sugar, swerve brown sugar, or golden monk fruit

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup nut or seed butter 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 room temperature pasture-raised egg

½ cup vanilla plant-based protein

¼ cup collagen 

½ cup cassava flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp sea salt

½ cup Lily’s chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. 
  2. Cream together butter and coconut sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or with hand beaters. Blend on medium until creamy.
  3. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and blend until smooth.
  4. combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and then slowly mix them into wet ingredients. 
  5. Fold in chocolate chips.
  6. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to make 12 balls and flatten very slightly. Add a few chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies for aesthetic.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Less time for soft cookies, more time for slightly crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside cookies.
  8. Cool for 10-15 minutes and and enjoy!

Will keep for 3-5 days on the counter and in the freezer for 3 months.

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From Grinch to Glee

My step-father recently said I was like, “a gleeful elf lady.” Without context this could come off as a weird compliment, and even with context it’s still a little weird, but it still warmed my heart. My family used to refer to me as “Grinchy K”. This didn’t feel quite as good, but it’s mostly because I really felt like a grinch and didn’t like them calling me out for it. I’m not very good at hiding my bad moods and up until a few years ago they were more frequent than good moods. 

Since about age 11 I’ve struggled with chronic anxiety, depression, and IBS. I didn’t know this until I was about 18 and was able to identify what anxiety and depression actually were, since up until then I never thought twice about the way I was feeling all the time. I assumed I was a typical hormonal teenager who liked to stay in bed as many hours as possible and would nearly vomit from nerves before getting asked to Homecoming – you know, normal teen stuff….right?

Once I got into college things really came to a head. My emotional and physical health tanked and I was desperate to find tools that would help me feel better. I went through extensive Functional Medicine lab testing for hormones, food sensitivities, GI health, and mineral/nutrient analysis and found that I had candida overgrowth, parasites, leaky gut, adrenal fatigue, heavy metals and super imbalanced minerals.

After several years of physical repair combined with hypnotherapy and meditation, I’m 95% better. I still get bouts of fatigue, anxiety, depression and bloating if I’m super stressed and not eating right, but at least I have the tools to bring me back to balance when I need. And that feels like a blessing.

The days of grinchy K are over – the gleeful elf lady has emerged and is sticking around!

So let me ask you? What needs to happen for your inner world to feel less grinchy so that you can make space for more glee?

If you want to learn more about individualized wellness programs that will empower you to transcend your imbalances, click here.

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Paleo Pumpkin Bread

It’s begun.

Fall has officially arrived and is distinctly marked by all of the “PSL” advertising, deliciously fragrant pumpkin candles lining store checkouts, and abundance of Uggs warming cold toesies.

I officially made “the switch” from a standard American diet to a 90% paleo diet in 2014 in an effort to get to the root of my anxiety, IBS and depression (I still eat rice and corn here and there on special occasions, but the bulk of what I eat is veggies and clean animal proteins…and chocolate). Eliminating these foods is one of the main reasons why I feel so much more balanced, all without prescription drugs. Western doctors told me my imbalances were genetic and that my food had no influence, but that medication would help with my chronic symptoms. Well, I proved them wrong, just like so many of you who are taking your health into your own hands. Within weeks of eliminating gluten, dairy, sugar and coffee (in conjunction with hypnotherapy), I felt better than I had in years.

However, I still grieved the foods I had grown accustomed to eating. I remember the first Fall when I realized I couldn’t order a pumpkin scone or pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. This was a tragic moment in my life – what is Fall without PSL?! I even prepared by wearing my Uggs and Lululemon!

To re-convince myself about why I was eliminating this stuff, I decided to look up what was in the pumpkin syrup used in the infamous PSL. In an effort to make the transition easier, I had started recreating some of my favorite comfort foods (like chocolate chip cookies) and found seeing the ingredients was a helpful place to start. In my blissful ignorance, I was shocked when I read the nutritional labels for the scone and latte. At the time, they were using high fructose corn syrup and caramel coloring in their recipes – both of which are carcinogenic and cause developmental delays. They’ve since omitted caramel color but still use high-fructose corn syrup in most of their popular recipes. You can read more about the dangers of caramel coloring here, because even though Starbucks has taken it out of recipes, it’s still hidden in all kinds of products, from cough drops to condiments, as shown below.

The more you learn about the food industry, the more you realize you have to take your health into your own hands. Companies are getting away with putting toxic chemicals in foods that children eat, all for the sake of aesthetic. So please, read your labels and be a responsible consumer, for the sake of your health and the health of future generations. 

This pumpkin bread recipe is obviously free of anything inflammatory or toxic, and instead is loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients that will not only fuel you, but will also satiate the craving you have for something fall-y! I always double the recipe and freeze some pre-sliced pieces to pop in the toaster at any time. I found an organic maple butter that is to die for and it goes perfectly on a piece of toasted pumpkin bread. And guess what? It has one ingredient: maple syrup. Guess how many ingredients Starbucks pumpkin scones have? 39. Yep. And those ingredients include soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, wheat, dairy, and a truckload of preservatives, all of which contribute to chronic inflammation and disease. There’s a reason why people feel SO much better when they eliminate these foods. You are what you eat, so choose wisely 🙂 

PALEO PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper so that the paper drapes over the sides like handles, then lightly coat with spray again.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, protein powder, arrowroot, collagen, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin spice. In a separate bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla. 
  3. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Fold in any desired mix-ins.
  4. Scrape into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 42 to 48 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes. Gently lift out the bread with the parchment overhang and place on the rack to finish cooling completely. Slice and enjoy with ghee, grass-fed butter or my personal favorite, maple butter. 

Notes: double and freeze pre-sliced pieces that you can toast whenever you want. Will keep well in freezer for 3 months. 

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The New Health Revolution

When was the last time you paused to consciously appreciate your body? Think about how much this vessel has done for you. In its infinite wisdom and synchronicity, it has healed your wounds, digested your food, created life, given you the ability to think and move, and does everything in its power to adapt to your environment. 

Our bodies deserve a trophy – or even better, your love and care.

And yet, in our ever-distracting and over-stimulating lives we rarely give our bodies this kind of attention until they start screaming at us. You throw out your back, develop infertility, autoimmunity, cancer, or maybe your digestion starts to struggle. It seems rare that we treat out bodies with care until they beg us for it in the form of ailment, uncomfortable symptom or disease. And then the Western solution is pharmaceuticals, surgery or other invasive treatment. It really requires looking outside of the allopathic model to get to the root of why our bodies are out of balance, and for most of us to do this we usually have to be pretty miserable. 

We used to live off the land. We were in tune with the cycles of nature, and as a result, much more in tune with ourselves.

Today, it’s so easy to ignore and numb discomfort. Take a pill, smoke a joint, have a drink, turn on the TV, eat some sugar – take your pick, we all know the ways in which we ignore the messages our bodies give us. That headache, cold, rash, infection, bloating, gas, constipation, joint pain, puffy eyes, congestion, weight gain, anxiety and depression are all signs of something deeper that needs to be balanced. With the rapid advancement of technology we’ve forgotten how to listen to our bodies and properly nourish them. We eat convenience ‘foods’ lacking entirely of nutrition, overwork ourselves, and coast through life until we get that slap in the face to wake up. 

I am SO grateful for the slaps I got. Yes, slaps- it took me a while to finally wake up. I numbed with Netflix, pot, sugar, social media, and alcohol for years before I fully honored what my body was trying to tell me in the form of chronic anxiety, fatigue and depression, IBS, acne, and insomnia – something was out of alignment. My mind convinced me that the marriage I was in was what I wanted, that the food I ate was okay because everyone else seems to tolerate it! But once I hit the brink of being suicidal, I decided that I would start listening to my heart – the only messenger we should listen to.

Our feelings are our truth. Your mind can tell you something else, but if your body doesn’t agree, it doesn’t matter how many series your binge or how much pot you smoke – your truth will only get louder. 

In an effort to honor my body, I finally took responsibility and changed my diet from junk-filled ‘Franken-foods’ that are void of nutrition, to a 80% plant based, gluten-free and organic one. Within weeks my IBS calmed down, my digestion improved, and I started to feel more energy. What a shocker, right? What you eat DOES affect how you feel! I started detoxing my liver every quarter, using nutraceutical-grade supplements and after each detox felt more and more in tune with myself and my purpose on this planet. I became more self-aware and began paying attention to my emotions, realizing that the marriage I was in was creating anxiety and wasn’t in my highest good, so I left. And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. 

This shit isn’t easy. It isn’t convenient. It isn’t always fun.

But is living with chronic fatigue, anxiety and depression easy, convenient or fun? Is bloating after every meal and feeling cramping and pain in my gut and joints easy, convenient or fun? Of course not. Giving up crappy food and substances was hard at first, but looking back, I would do it over and over again, because now I feel more alive and energetic than I ever have. I know how to feed my body properly and how to honor the feelings that it gives me to alert me if something I’m thinking or doing isn’t in alignment with my highest good. 

What a gift my imbalances were. I thank them every day for forcing me to wake up. For teaching me how to love and respect my body with healthy food, thoughts and lifestyle. If I hadn’t felt really bad, I wouldn’t have learned the tools that will help me stay balanced and prevent disease for the rest of my life; that will help optimize the health of my future-children and hopefully not add to the ADD, diabetes, seizure and autism statistics that continue to skyrocket every year because of the toxic load parents pass down. Studies have found that over 250 neurotoxins and chemicals that cause cancer and brain-development issues are being passed down to children in utero. Heavy metals are being passed down through breast milk. The research is horrifying and yet we continue to feed our bodies these toxins through our food, household cleaning products, cosmetics and environment- because it’s ‘convenient’. 

The only way to combat the toxic load of the 21stcentury is to detox and be responsible about the food and products you expose to your body. Chronic disease is no longer optional, it’s inevitable unless you make serious changes. This requires hard work and investment. It requires guidance and support to be done properly. There is so much conflicting information out there and unfortunately the medical community who should be guiding us to well-being is owned by the pharmaceutical industry who makes money when you are ill. They have no vested interest in you eating healthy or detoxing because then they lose a reliable customer. Think about it- the US is one of the only countries where it’s even LEGAL for pharmaceuticals to advertise. Why should YOU be the one to ask your doctor about this new drug (that has tons of negative side-effects but will magically make your ulcerative colitis symptoms go away and allow you to continue feeding your body garbage)? If your doctor cared about your health, wouldn’t they be the one to recommend this magical drug that covers up your symptoms? 

It’s come down to a simple but difficult choice: you can either join the revolution of people taking their health and vitality into their own hands, or become a disease statistic because you don’t want to invest in something your insurance doesn’t pay for. This starts with education – start reading free resources online, watch free documentaries, ask more questions of your medical professionals. You don’t have to break the bank to empower and advocate yourself.

I’m 25 and have been eating organic and detoxing quarterly since I was 19, while waiting tables and driving for Uber. So don’t tell me you can’t afford it. It comes down to priorities. I don’t want my future kids and grandkids to struggle with gut and emotional imbalances because I didn’t want to do the work. Because it was “too expensive” and “too inconvenient”. If there’s a will, there’s a way, but first it starts with education. Knowledge is power, so start learnin’!

Netflix docs I highly recommend are Heal, What the Health, The Magic Pill, Forks Over Knives, and Cowspiracy – now you can Netflix and Learn!

In vibrant health,

Kendyl

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Learn This Easy Tool to Quit Self-Sabotaging

Thousands of years ago ancient rishis in India came up with the same conclusion that Socrates came up with centuries later: that the universe, including humans, is made up of energy and not matter. It’s been called chi in ancient Taoism and prana in ancient Ayurveda, but either way, it translates to, “life force”.

But in the 17th century, Newtonian physics, which was widely accepted as conclusive science, said that the whole universe is like a big machine, made of matter and nothing else, therefore so are we. Western Medicine is still stuck in this concept, even though the rest of science has moved onto quantum physics, which says that as you go deeper into an atom, it is revealed that there is nothing there but energy waves.

An atom, the building block of the human body, is like an invisible forcefield which emits waves of electrical energy – it is made up of 99.99% energy and only .01% matter. 

So if you want to have any impact on your experience of this life, you need to learn how to direct this energy, which can be done with your thoughts and the energy you allow in and around your body. In a time when chronic illness is rampant and anxiety is the norm, I think we could all benefit from learning this. Thousands of years ago in Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, methods were discovered about how to direct this energy to prevent and reverse chronic imbalances – and they didn’t have smartphones or Netflix back then! So it’s all the more important we all are proactive about managing our personal energy not just to stay balanced and happy, but to reach our goals.

I’ve worked with clients in the past who get really pumped up and excited in the beginning of a program because they have a really clear goal and see a path to reaching it, but then once the real work begins, they lose steam. 

When shit gets hard on a detox or another food protocol, and you’re sitting in front of Starbucks, craving your usual zap of stimulants, you’re going to need a “why” to turn your toosh around. 

Your why should be like your mantra – it’s going to be something you need to come back to every day to remind yourself why you’re putting in this work, because trust me, your inner-teenager is going to come out swinging at some point, demanding cheese-fries and diet-coke, and you’ll want to make sure you’re equipped to gently move through it. And to do this, you’ll need a WHY. 

  1. Sit down and think about it. What is the sacrifice you’re currently making? Have you cut out a food like gluten or sugar? Are you trying keto for a while? Are you on a strict protocol to reverse an imbalance? Are you studying for a test or working on a job/college application? Are you on a strict workout regiment?
  2. Once the sacrifice you’re making is clear, then ask yourself. WHY am I doing this? Maybe you’re doing Natural Infertility Solutions and are in preconception mode. Perhaps you’re on a weight-loss or autoimmunity protocol that requires clean eating and regular supplementation. Or maybe you’re working towards the career of your dreams.

I have to use my mantra almost daily. If I’m feeling rebellious and my inner-teenager tells me, “that second cookie is going to taste soooo good,” then I repeat my why: “I eat clean food and exercise regularly so that I can maintain a healthy weight and remain happy, energetic, and focused.” 

Does this work every time? Uh, no, talk to me two days ago after my third cookie. Sometimes my stress eating resurfaces – no one is perfect. But this practice has gotten me through countless detoxes and cleanse protocols that I needed to do to attain the current level of balance that is my new norm (and the new cookies of choice are homemade, organic and paleo, not Otis Spunkmeyer like in the old days, so, ya know, progress). 

Get clear on WHY you’re putting energy into a goal and come back to it when your defiant teenager wants to sabotage your progress.

I set reminders on my phone with my why to turn this into a habit, cause Lawd knows my teenager likes to complain. I keep telling her to go have fun with her friends, but man, she likes to bitch and moan. The more that you can see you why, the more your thoughts will be directed to it, and as a result, the more energy you’ll put towards your goal.

If you have questions about this process, don’t hesitate to reach out here or on Instagram or Facebook.

In vibrant health,

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Ayurveda: The Science of Life

The 5,000 year old sister-science of yoga, Ayurveda (from Sanskrit words ayur, meaning “life” and veda, meaning “knowledge” or “wisdom”) helps us to harmonize our minds, bodies, and lifestyles with our spiritual purpose. It teaches that we are a microcosm, a universe within ourselves. That we are the children of cosmic forces and the external environment, the macrocosm.

According to the Cancer Research Institute, 38.4% of men and women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetimes.

Have you noticed how chronically sick we are today? I don’t know anyone that doesn’t struggle with anxiety, depression, fatigue, ADD, digestive issues, skin imbalances, joint pain, or autoimmunity. I believe this is partly because Western Medicine generalizes and categorizes individuality- looking only at symptoms. Ayurveda holds that normality must be evaluated individually, because every human constitution manifests its own particular spontaneous temperament and functioning.

Shirodara, a deeply healing ayurvedic treatment in Pancha Karma.

In Ayurveda there are 3 main body types, or doshas that determine your individual makeup. Recognizing that human begins are parts of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (wind), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body and are what we use to classify your dosha (body type). Your dosha can be accurately determined by a pulse diagnoses from an Ayurvedic practitioner and is very helpful to know so that you have a roadmap for disease prevention and balancing. Because we all have one dominant dosha, it’s no wonder why different people react to environmental circumstances differently. Some people tolerate high heat very well, others like me with a lot of Pitta (fire) in us become very cranky in high temperatures. Once you know what your dosha is, you can learn how to bring yourself into balance with your diet, lifestyle and mental/spiritual habits, no matter what your environment might be like.

The human body consists of seven basic and vital tissues called dhatus. The Sanskrit word dhatu means “constructing element”. These seven are responsible for the functions of the different organs, systems and vital parts of the body, as well as part of the biological protective mechanism- your immune system. The seven dhatus are the plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow/nerves, and reproductive tissues. When one dhatu is defective, it affects the others, as each dhatu receives nourishment from the previous. You can imagine how toxic most of our dhatus are in the 21st century with chemical-filled food and products, medications, electronics, environmental toxins and GMOs.

This is why cleansing is a huge part of Ayurveda. Keep in mind, this modality came about 5,000 years ago, and even then doctors were recommending quarterly detox and reflection.

The most efficient way to detox all of your dhatus, as well as your mind and spirit, is through the healing program called Pancha Karma.

This process involves 5-30 consecutive days of massage treatments, detox herbs, nutrient-dense food, and spiritual/mindfulness practices. There are centers in India dedicated to Pancha Karma where you can go and completely unplug as you detox, as well as some retreat centers in the States.

If the root of all disease lies in one of these dhatus then it is imperative for disease prevention to keep all 7 in balance.

I do a quarterly 21 day cleanse to detox my organs and mind and not only have blood work to show the amazing results from this, but my overall energy and mood are far better than when I was full of inflammation due to poor diet and unhealthy thoughts. This motivates me to be proactive with my health- I do a 5 day Pancha Karma twice a year, along with a quarterly liver detox. Just ask my close friends and family how much more fun I am to be around than a few years ago.

When I coach clients I pull from the wisdom of Ayurveda AND modern medicine (specifically Functional Medicine) to create individualized plans that help you treat the ROOT of your imbalance and not just manage symptoms with medication like Western Medicine does, which only creates more inflammation. Because of this, you will experience long-term healing and vitality.

If you want to bring Ayurveda into your life to prevent disease or balance a current issue, the best place to start is with Pancha Karma. You’ll discover your dosha through pulse diagnoses, receive meal plans, detox supplements and 1:1 guidance for your individual needs, as well as have 5 consecutive days of healing massage to balance each of the 7 dhatus.

Estimated national expenditures for cancer care in the United States in 2017 were $147.3 billion.

You are the microcosm of the macrocosm- what’s the current state of your personal universe? If it isn’t balanced it’s only a matter of time before your symptoms get worse and turn into chronic disease (if they haven’t already). Investing in your health now can save you time, energy and money spent on treating a deeper imbalance in the future.

If you want to save a trip to India and want to experience Pancha Karma here in Washington, I offer in-home 5 day programs, or you can visit my office in Kirkland. I would be honored to support you on your journey to deeper self-awareness and vitality.

Learn more about Pancha Karma

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Lean into Discomfort

Lean into suffering. I know this sounds counterintuitive but hear me out. We will live an average of 78.69 years on earth and most of us will spend those years in a futile attempt to numb and distract from pain and suffering. We’ll go on stimulating vacations, pay for doctors and prescriptions, drink/smoke/vape/Juul/whatever new addictive trend is in, eat food and consume media that triggers as many dopamine/pleasure responses as possible—and all the while our deepest fears and pains still reside in our bodies and subconscious minds, ready to knock you off your center at any moment. 

Avoidance is a recipe for bigger pain and louder suffering. 

In the span of a few years I went from having mild anxiety to having chronic nausea, gut issues and depression, regular anxiety attacks and insomnia, and was quickly losing my will to live. It wasn’t until I faced my fear and suffering head on that I was able to get to the root of the unhealthy pattens and beliefs that were controlling my life. 

Looking at my fear face to face was what eventually gave me emotional (and physical) freedom.

This is why I meditate. It isn’t easy. In fact it really sucks sometimes to sit for 30 minutes observing the noise in my head when all I want to do is sleep in a bit longer. But what this practice allows me to do is to understand the insanity of my human mind so that the ridiculous voices of my ego don’t control me anymore. The judgmental, self-doubty, scared little kid that lives inside all of us and does everything to feel powerful and in control. The one that really drives the car. 

She felt disempowered many times as a little one. She didn’t have much of a choice about how to perceive the world as a kid. But that little one will not drive my adult life anymore. I have a choice in that. 

That is why I continue to do my own hypnotherapy sessions with my therapist so that I can regress to impactful memories that solidified these unhealthy beliefs into my psyche- The traumatic but also sometimes first world situations that programmed my subconscious wiring. 

Mom forgot to pick me up from school when I was 5 so sitting on the steps of primary school that little one decided that she wasn’t important. She decided to act small – now that a new neural pathway was formed with that belief she will continue to look for situations that confirm her lack of importance. Rather than see 5 of her close friends invite her to their birthday parties, she focuses on the fact that her best friend didn’t invite her to her party. See? I know I’m not important. 

What happens in hypnotherapy is that I can scoop that little one up and remind her that she is important and loved. I can create a new belief with an adult mind that empowers me and helps to bring awareness to the numbing behaviors I partake in to avoid these negative self-perceptions. I have the power to create new, more productive neural pathways in my subconscious. I can literally rewire my mind. 

That is real power. And it doesn’t come from avoiding fear and suffering. It comes from walking up to it and placing a graceful hand to its face and saying, “I see you. I hear you. I love you.” 

Hypnotherapy is a tool that can guide you to those places in your subconscious mind  that have control over your life. It provides a flashlight into your very programming. What do you think, is your mind ready for a software update? 

If so, come see me for some hypnotherapy in Kirkland. A couple of 75 minute sessions just might offer you more insight than you’ll get from years of talk therapy.

Schedule Hypnotherapy Appointment

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Honoring Your Inner Knowing

Underneath this smile used to be more fear than I could name. The weight of it was like a prison from which I couldn’t escape.

I made every effort to numb and suppress it with inflammatory “comfort” food and drink, social media and my phone, Netflix/Hulu/HBO NOW/Starz (I’m no amateur streamer), and pot. I was in a constant state of survival, grasping for anything that would make the fear go away, even if only temporarily.

Waking up each day was a battle. I would wake with panic and nausea, and then the wave of judgement and shame would immobilize me even more. How could I feel this way when I had so much to be grateful for? I had a family and husband who loved me, a job I was passionate about, a beautiful home – how could I be so entitled?

Eventually this bombardment of emotion was too much for my body to take. It got to the point where I didn’t want to wake up anymore. I would pray that I wouldn’t – if it would just free me from the constant pain and anxiety that controlled my body, mind and spirit.

Once I reached rock bottom I realized that I had nothing to lose. I was at a choice point: life or fear. So I summoned what little strength I had left to connect to Universal Consciousness/God/Spirit/Divine/whatever you want to call it- I was ready to do anything that would free me from the constant struggle. Even though I hated it in the past, I felt guided to start meditating and spend more time in nature.

Once I opened up the space for my Higher Self to guide me I couldn’t ignore the messages about what needed to happen for me to come back to life. And ultimately it meant ending a marriage with my best friend. I was ignoring this truth for too long because it was too painful to face, so my body got louder- the nausea and anxiety got worse.

I don’t regret that relationship, nor do I harbor any ill feelings towards my ex. Neither of us did anything wrong, but our paths had to go different ways for our highest good. And that was a terrifying truth to face, but one that ultimately changed my life for the better.

Hiking the Isle of Skye, Scotland this past summer. One of the many magical experiences I had after releasing pent up fear.

This experience taught me how to listen to my body; a skill that many of us lack, especially in such a distracting society. I now know how to discern what is in my best interest and what is not, whether that be relationships, food, experiences, or thoughts. As I continue to practice this skill I realize how lost most of us really are because we don’t know how to listen to our inner knowing. Each of us has a higher self (that gut instinct you get? Yeah, that’s her) that is doing everything in her power to lead you toward your highest good and life purpose. The more we ignore her, the louder she gets. Trust me, don’t try to shut her up because she can out-scream you any day of the week.

Are you suppressing emotions because they’re uncomfortable to deal with? If you aren’t then you likely don’t have a pulse…

90% of our mind is subconscious. So every time you have a stressful situation or emotion and choose to numb out with The Bachelor (Game of Thrones is my poison of choice) or that Pumpkin Spice Latte and chocolate muffin- all you’re really doing is shoving it down into your subconscious. That shame or fear is having a party with all the other misfit emotions you weren’t equipped to deal with and have suppressed, and eventually that casual party is going to turn into a rager and the cops are going to come and your neighbors are going to freak out and… you get the point. Shit is going to hit the fan eventually. Your suppressed emotions are a ticking time bomb, patiently waiting to turn into chronic anxiety or acne or cancer or autoimmunity or *fill in the blank with any disease or symptom you’re not getting to the root of*, if they haven’t already.

Playing in a river near Glen Coe, Scotland last July – chronic anxiety free!

But here’s what’s exciting! There are tools to heal these traumas and suppressed emotions. You don’t have to keep living like this. Hypnotherapy was one of the most powerful tools for releasing years and years of suppressed emotions that were causing IBS, acne, depression, anxiety and ADD. I also had to detox and change my diet to fully heal, but getting to the emotional root was the biggest piece of the puzzle.

When I see pictures of myself now I can’t believe how light and bright I feel compared to a year ago. And love, you can have that, too. You just need to invest in yourself and your healing. Every moment of every day you have a choice. Life or fear?

In vibrant health,

Kendyl