Featured Guest Speaker: Jillian VanNostrand, RN, owner of Seacoast Breast Health

While the breast self-examination remains an important early detection tool, approximately 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. All-in-all, more than 3.8 million women have a history of breast cancer in the United States and breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the world. Besides a monthly self-exam, are there other proactive measures that can be done to keep the breasts healthy? Moreover, how does overall health affect breast health?

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we wanted to take a bird's-eye look at the current state of breast health and connect it with whole body health. Turns out, the autonomic nervous system--our natural stress-regulating system--is an integral part of our breast health. When we understand the ANS, nutrition, trauma, lymphatic drainage, and even the connection to oral hygiene, we are on the path to better breast health.

In this BioBites, we will explore:

How toxicity of fatty tissue affects breast vitality.
Ways to improve digestion through nutrition in an effort to decrease "silent" inflammation.
Steps to clear trauma and stress from the body in order to have healthy breasts throughout one's entire health span.
How European Thermography analysis can help uncover areas where the body is experiencing imbalances.
The relationship between the immune system and the lymphatic system.
The connection breast tissue has to preventing and detecting disease.
Plus, learn how to perform a lymphatic self-massage technique in order to assist the release of toxins from the lymph system.

Seeing breast health as a crucial and complete part of overall health gets to the root causes of disease and imbalance. Please join us on October 3rd at 12:00 ET as Jillian VanNostrand, RN, owner of Seacoast Breast Health discusses the myriad ways we can approach breast health through the biological lens.

Beyond Self-Examination: The Importance of Natural Breast Health

Guest Speaker: Dr. Viktor Paul Giangrasso

It’s no secret that child-and-adolescent mental, emotional, and physical health has reached crisis levels in recent years. According to the Center for Disease Control, depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicide are on the rise with more than 37% of adolescents ages 12 – 17 reporting persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness in 2018 and 2019. And among children ages 3 – 17, those diagnosed with anxiety grew by one-third between 2016 and 2020.

Many parents, teachers, and therapists have been at a loss for solutions, often getting confused about treatment options, eventually blaming themselves or institutions for the lack of concrete help. Consequently, more and more caregivers of all kinds are seeking solutions beyond standard talk therapy and conventional medications.

One of those solutions is the Reconnect 2 Empower Method, or R2E. R2E was developed by Dr. Viktor Paul Giangrasso, a licensed physical therapist, author, and 30-year survivor of depression. It was through his own personal journey of healing himself that he developed the R2E method. “I gradually went off the medications by utilizing my clinical, educational, and spiritual experiences to reconnect and empower myself,” said Dr. Giangrasso.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

The tragic reality of our children’s mental health in America today.
What you can do to positively impact the mental and physical wellbeing of children in our country.
What the R2E Method is and how it can help.
Ways to foster a sense of hope and empowerment for the future.

Instead of masking emotional problems with medicine, R2E heals the root issue to ultimately reduce depression and other health problems in children. R2E is a cutting-edge treatment program that helps children and parents reconnect to better health by using a variety of scientifically proven tools and holistic practices like meditation, breathing techniques, and movement. Ultimately, R2E teaches children and adolescents how to heal their body so that they can thrive in a safer, healthier world.

This episode of BioBites is for anyone concerned with the health of children in America. Please join us on November 7th at 12:00 ET for a compelling look at children’s mental health and the strategy for empowering each child through the R2E Method with creator Dr. Viktor Paul Giangrasso.

Fostering Children's Wellbeing eith the R2E Method

If you have trouble sleeping, are feeling anxious, suffer from frequent headaches, or experience heart palpitations, you might be affected by unseen electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation from wireless technology.

Across the globe, millions of cell towers and Wi-Fi hotspots have been erected that continually bathe the planet and its inhabitants in man-made radiation. Wi-Fi routers have been installed in homes, offices, schools and elsewhere in order to have a more connected society. While providing us with modern conveniences, these signals interfere with our own bodies' electrical circuitry and as a result we are constantly absorbing radiation into our organs. Not only that, but some municipalities are now allowing wireless "smart utility meters" on homes and 5G small cell antennas inside residential neighborhoods that pulse ceaseless radiation signals.

The result of this ubiquitous wireless tech is that both children and adults are now presenting with symptoms ranging from headaches, nausea, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and behavior issues, to cancers, heart problems, chronic illnesses, DNA mutations and infertility.

The good news is that there are many safe ways to engage with tech in which informed citizens can feel empowered and protected in the face of increasing radiation levels. A smart and balanced approach is crucial for creating a future where our technology helps us rather than harms us.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

What EMFs are and how they impact the human body.
How children are affected by wireless tech in the classroom.
How to use a meter to determine safe EMF levels in your home or office.
What you can do to protect your loved ones from EMF radiation.
The impacts of EMF radiation on the Earth’s flora and fauna.
What passing a state bill would attempt to accomplish no matter where you reside.

Please join us on December 5th at 12:00 ET, for an enlightening look at EMF safety with guest expert, Cece Doucette, MPTW, BA, and Director of Massachusetts for Safe Technology.

EMF Safety in a Wireless World

Featured Guest Speaker: Dr. Dickson Thom, DDS, ND, and author of Basic Treatment Guidelines, a.k.a. Natural Laws to Live By and leading Naturopathic Doctor, teacher, and Biological Medicine physician

The air, water, soil, and sun have been our constant companions since the dawn of mankind. We cannot exist without them. Yet with the relatively sudden onset of omnipresent industry, inescapable technology, and the seemingly endless deluge of modern dietary conveniences, we have become more like distant relatives of Earth’s primary elements. This separation has led us to become a society with more illness than wellness.

But how do we return to a more natural state in order to bring about lasting balance and health? The key is knowing the science and practice of Natural Laws to Live By.

Join us for a very special BioBites on Tuesday, January 2nd, when Dr. Thom will present a comprehensive distillation of the most common, easy-to-access, inexpensive ways to maintain health over a lifetime. These common-wisdom-but-not-common-practice habits are the keys to our natural state of wellbeing and harmony.

Some of the topics he will cover include:

The benefits of practicing good sleep hygiene
How deep breathing exercises can detox the body
Probiotics: their history and science
Why essential fatty acids are a must-use for self-regulation
The positive effects of grounding
What’s a nebulizer and why use one

… And so much more!

Natural Laws to Live By: Your Keys to Lifelong Health

Featured Guest Speaker: Jesse O’Brien, owner, Central Health

It’s a fact that right this second, millions of us are walking around feeling dissatisfied in our own skin. We may struggle with body image issues, sudden weight gain or loss, a persistent lack of energy, or we may have an illness or injury preventing us from feeling our most vital selves. This sensitivity can be a constant struggle for many who seek to regain health, but aren’t sure where to begin.

One typical barrier is the way we often view health as just a number on a scale. However, when we see health through the lens of overall body composition, the actual number on the scale ceases to carry so much weight (pun intended).

Body composition is a term used by health professionals that refers to the percentage of fat, water, bone, muscle, skin, and other lean tissues that make up the whole body. Armed with personal body composition knowledge, you can begin to create positive, empowered, and permanent vitality.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

What body composition is and why it matters.
The difference between body composition and other health indicators.
The key factors that affect body composition.
How to leverage your body composition to achieve the greatest physiological change in the least amount of time AND with the least amount of psychological resistance.
Tools for understanding changes in body composition that stem from lifestyle factors, hormones, genetics, age, and more.

Join us on Tuesday, February 6th at 12:00 ET, when Jesse O’Brien, owner of Central Health in Austin, TX, will walk us through the three levers for optimizing body composition. With more than 15 years in the health and fitness profession, Jesse believes in moving consistently, consuming nourishing foods, and aligning with positive lifestyle behaviors. Having a well-balanced body composition sets us up for long-term health success as we age. Regardless of what shape your body is in now—young or old, small or large, strong or weak—you can leverage proven principles that support a healthy physique that works for you rather than against you.

Health Hack: Leveraging Your Body Composition

Featured Guest Speaker: Dr. Mohamed Elhamamsy, DMD, Well Rooted Dentistry

For hundreds of years, dental care and medical care were considered one practice. After all, the mouth is part of the body. But that began to shift in the 17th century when Pierre Fauchard, credited as being the father of modern dentistry, made it his goal to elevate dentistry as its own science, effectively cleaving it from medicine. As time marched on, the two have meandered along their own separate pathways, occasionally coming close together but always remaining in their own lanes. 

Today, you will find a growing movement to combine medical care and dental care into simply healthcare. It makes sense because we know that gum disease can exacerbate issues “downstream” and chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease have direct links to poor oral health. A more holistic approach would naturally result in better overall health.

Biological Dentistry is an approach to dental care that looks at the entire body and aims to provide care that is inclusive of all manner of health concerns, not simply the oral ones. It’s a combination of practices that sees the patient as a whole human being and not just a set of teeth.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

The history of Biological Dentistry.
How the health of the mouth and the health of the body are connected.
How Biological Dentistry differs from traditional dentistry.
How to find a Biological Dentist where you live.
What to expect when you visit a Biological Dentist.
The importance of non-toxic dentistry and SMART amalgam removal.
How Biological Dentistry is connected to longevity and improved overall health.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 5th, at 12:00 p.m. ET, when Dr. Mohamed Elhamamsy, DMD, explains the importance of Biological Dentistry for overall longevity and health. Dr. Elhamamsy practices at Well Rooted Dentistry in Providence, RI, and believes in implementing healthy, sustainable practices to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Well Rooted: An Introduction to Biological Dentistry

Featured Guest Speaker: Viviani Lima, CNM, New Start Nutri Center

“Blood is the ink of our life’s stories.” – Jason Mechalek

What if there was a way to see the state and activity of your blood cells in real time? What could you learn about your health?

Live blood cell analysis is the observation of blood cells using a high-powered specialized microscope. The goal of live blood cell analysis is not to come away with a conclusive finding, per se, but rather to gain insight into the current state of blood cells, platelets, and blood cell activity. From a tiny pin prick on the finger to a colorful image on a screen, trained health care providers use live blood cell analysis as an information-gathering tool—another arrow in the quiver—that may point to common underlying issues discovered under the microscope.

Some health concerns that live blood cell analysis can help illuminate are: nutritional imbalances, oxidative stress, parasitic activity, microbes, adrenal stress, toxicity, and digestive problems to name a few.

When used in conjunction with other clinical data and tests, the insights gained from live blood cell analysis enable health care providers to better understand the biological terrain of a particular patient. Both the patient and the analyst are able to see variations in size, shape, ratio, and structure in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This information can then be used proactively to help formulate dietary or lifestyle interventions to achieve health naturally.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

The history and efficacy of live blood cell analysis.
What happens when your blood is analyzed.
The practical applications of live blood cell analysis.
The pros and cons of live blood cell analysis.
How much live blood cell analysis costs.
Where to find a provider of live blood cell analysis.

Viviani is trained in nutritional medicine and live blood cell analysis and offers dual-language (English and Portuguese) programs in nutrition for health optimization. Live blood cell analysis offers a unique peek into a part of the body not typically considered in most health evaluations and is not for diagnosing.

New Blood: A Closer Look at Live Blood Cell Analysis

Featured Guest Speaker: Dr. Melina Roberts, ND, clinic director and founder of Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre

What if you could prevent allergies or other illnesses in your child? What if you could build long-term health in your child in order to avoid chronic disease before they become adults? Most parents strive to give their children a head start in life, but all too often they inadvertently neglect the most important area of early childhood development: nutrition. Parents unwittingly introduce certain foods too early and feed their children a poor-quality diet, prompting a disastrous and long-term cycle of illness.

Fact: according to Food Allergy Research and Education, one-in-13 children has a food allergy and children with food allergies are two to four times as likely to have additional conditions such as asthma or eczema.

But it doesn’t have to be this way if parents understand how a baby’s body grows and how it processes nutrients. Organs and body systems mature at different stages which means nutritional needs vary depending on the age and maturation of the child. As humans we are hard-wired to digest real, nutrient-dense foods in their natural form and not processed, chemically laden and altered foods. Because of these two factors, parents should strive to build a diverse microbiome in their child’s digestive tract to lay the groundwork for long-term health and vitality.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

The six “problem foods” for children and how to avoid them.
How to prepare your diet during pregnancy.
The role breast-feeding plays in having a healthy infancy.
When and how to introduce solid foods to infants and toddlers.
How to prevent allergies.
Understanding toxins and how to avoid them.

Dr. Roberts is the founder and clinic director of Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre in Calgary and author of Building a Healthy Child: Food Introduction Nutritional Program; A Parent’s Guide to Foundational Childhood Nutrition for Lifelong Health.

Even if you don’t have children, this subject will shed light on understanding the reasons why you perhaps developed certain health issues during childhood, preventing a future cycle of illness in your own family. If, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then this month’s BioBites is worth its weight in gold.

Building a Healthy Child

Featured Guest Speaker: Rita Higgins, Director of Food Access and Innovation for the Marion Institute

It’s no secret that carbon dioxide levels today are the highest they’ve been in over 800,000 years. The primary cause of these increased levels is the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal, oil, and natural gas1. The result, of course, is a sick planet giving rise to ever-increasing sick populations. Reading the statistics, it’s hard to imagine one individual making a measurable impact. But that’s exactly where the effort needs to start: in our own homes and backyards.

Turns out, the humble home garden, backyard landscape, and even those space-saving porch pots are a great place to help our planet and our own health. According to the National Wildlife Federation, if every one of America’s 85 million gardening households planted just one young shade tree in their backyard or community, those trees would absorb more than 2 million tons of CO2 each year.

As at-home gardeners and fossil-fuel warriors, it may seem like a stretch to think that what we do in our backyards could affect climate change. Using just a few basic principles, we can indeed have an outsized impact.

These basic principles are ones that can be applied at any scale and are actually the same land management principles the Marion Institute is implementing at Frogfoot Farm—designed to grow, farm, and harvest fresh, healthy produce for neighbors in need across southeastern Massachusetts.

Join us for a conversation about our approach to revitalizing the land at Frogfoot Farm, the basic design principles for the farm and to understand how to apply them at home. Shifting your relationship with your garden and backyard to a more ecological, climate-smart approach, brings not only personal benefits but impacts health at all levels, from the individual to the community and beyond.

In this BioBites, you will learn:

To recognize the signs of climate change in your backyard.
Principles of climate-resilient landscape design.
The importance of planting native species.
Why soil health is vital to your health.
The link between vegetables gardens and nutritional security.
… and more!

Health Hack: Leveraging Your Body Composition

Marion Institute

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