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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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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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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