Well two good benchmarks this week. After a week off due to the stomach flu I was back – first Shred day was Lynn’s circuit and wow I was amazed at how much condition I had lost in just a week off. HOWEVER by Saturday I was also surprised that I had recovered strength as quickly as I did – perhaps when you exercise the level does not drop off that much in a week and you can recover faster. I hope so.
read more

Well I lost 3 days of exercise last week after I nipped a nerve in my back and I missed the work out. BUT Monday morning I REALLY missed last week’s exercise who knew that you got out of condition so fast ! It is great to be back though.
read more

Yoga was good last week, I could get used to that ! My deep breathing that I use for coherence has definitely improved. Will see you Wednesday - also get BP feedback tomorrow and Cancer checkup - it’s a Doctor day !
read more

So today is my 68th birthday and my present to myself was Shred!
read more

It is great to see folks making progress around me, we all work at our own rate - one of the benefits of this system. I have really seen progress this week. I have been favoring my left knee as it would not do many of the exercises without buckling. For example, no jacks, and only a stiff walk in the Saturday Circuit. Well by Wednesday this week I was starting to see that it could carry more weight than it has.
read more

Well we have had a changeup this week. Back to intense exercises and a new Circuit. I see the benefit of moving up the weights we are using - although sometimes it is tough! I see that my performance has improved – In terms of how long I can hold a plank, or how many press ups I can do. However, I am surprised that my body is contracting, no muffin tops!
read more

Well we had a different week and it was good. The yoga was hard work which I did not expect but it did help with stretching and flexibility, not much yet, but it will over time I have discovered that Buddha was not a yoga fan – how do I know that? Well I have the same physique as Buddha and I could not do some of the poses because my pot-belly got in the way! (Note to self: must check on why Cathy calls me her Ben Franklin Stove – could it be more than my warm personality?)
read more

Hello fellow Shredders, Today is Wednesday and we had a great class with Lynn today, It seemed like it flew by. I am really feeling fantastic, Is everyone else?
read more

So still making progress and still enjoying the class and even more, the support from fellow shredders. This week I had to take a 6 AM class and it was good to meet Holly and another group of shredders I had not met before. Getting up at 4:45 however, is less fun. Although I think I was still anesthetized by sleep during the first half of the class so may be that was good? Weight loss continues but at a slower rate. If the machine at Lifestyle is to be believed, my fat is down 1 % since starting Shred. I did the weight machines circuit at Lifestyle and while I did not lift heavier weights I did the nine machines faster than I have ever done.
read more

We are into our third week of shredding and I will report everything for me is going really well! I have always had a difficult time getting exercise and nutrition combined at the same time. I am either one or another and these classes have been fantastic so far and keeping a food log and knowing exactly what and when I'm suppose to eat and has been a great help. Thank you for continuing to email info and for having us watch the videos which I would usually never take the time to do. And Yes, I am the winner of the first blender for getting 100% on my LivingWellnessUniversity.com quiz. Thank you very much ( applause, applause ..) See you all in class, Karri ~CLW: "Great Job, Karri - Keep up the AMAZING effort!"
read more

I’m sitting in my favorite chair, icing my arthritic right knee, shoulders so tired even typing is an effort, wondering why on earth I allowed Lynn to torture me today. I could have been working in my garden, playing with my dog, reading a good book, even cleaning my house—you get the idea—but instead I drove 20 plus miles from my little south Tampa home all the way to Lutz (almost a foreign country) to suffer through a grueling athletic training torture session. What the heck am I thinking?
read more

I can actually see progress this week. For example when Cheryl did my assessment to see I would not die on her :) ..... I could only do half a push up, this week I got up to five, not stellar by other standards, but for sure it is progress for me.
read more

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m excited about our Total Body Shred class! One of the things I love about the class is the structure provided. Having a class scheduled at the same time and place 3 times a week (or 5 for some of you) works for me. I feel obligated to be at The Center For Living Wellness on time and ready to work out as scheduled.
read more

Well first week over and it was good - not easy, but good. I am not as fit as I thought I was and certainly not as flexible – those who see me struggling to get up from the floor will know what I mean.
read more

Alzheimer’s…the word alone is enough to scare most people over 50. Whether it be because we know someone or some family that has been effected by this condition or whether we fear it for ourselves, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a popular concern for my older patients.
read more

Surprise, surprise. In the news this last week, another class of pharmaceutical medications is undergoing scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety concerns. Known as ‘bisphosphonates’, this class include drugs such as Fosamax (alendronate), Boniva, Actonel and Reclast – meds used to prevent and/or treat osteoporosis.
read more

Cell phones are here to stay and we knew it the moment we laid hands on our first mobile communication superstar back in the early 1990s. Technology has come a long way from the remote control sized cell phone and getting in touch with someone never seemed so easy. But with everything that society considers progress, there’s always a part of me wondering…’What is the price our bodies are paying for this convenience?’ There’s always a catch, right? Well, lend me your ears for this recent research article.
read more

Death by chocolate? Well, maybe not so. You may have heard that there is a saving grace in that luxurious, seemingly sinful, guilty pleasure called chocolate. Well, here’s the latest scoop but I’ve kept it kiddie size.
read more

Some of the greatest pioneers in medicine work to find ways to highlight lifestyle-based solutions for the most devastating diseases. Of course, nothing strikes fear into the heart and, literally, the chests of women than the diagnosis of breast cancer. Luckily for us, these trendsetting docs have uncovered some research truths about what we can do to help ourselves.
read more

Once you understand the physiology of how and why, you’ll likely recognize the long-term implications of treating this issue of TOO LITTLE stomach acid with conventional means, namely Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) might not be the best choice for most of us.
read more

Fire in The Hole! That’s one way we describe heartburn/acid reflux. Whether you call it heartburn, acid reflux, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), or dyspepsia, one thing is for sure, it usually begins with a warm, burning sensation that rises up the esophagus. Some people report experiencing an acidic taste, frequent burping and/or a hoarse, raspy voice.
read more

Although I am very fortunate to have never experienced a migraine headache, I treat a significant number of people who are debilitated by them regularly. In fact, almost 20% of American women suffer from migraines.
read more

If you’re a TV channel surfer, no doubt you heard the latest news released throughout the media this weekend – food allergies are becoming more common and more severe based on a large, patient reported research study out of Northwestern University this month.
read more

90 Day Shred is still going strong! For most of our members, this is their second time doing the 90 day Shred with us. With Phase I behind us, their results are fantastic!
read more

In response to Kathie’s comments on The Power of Poop post: Unfortunately, many conventional medicine ‘experts’ do not place an emphasis on the therapeutic potency of functional elimination through the colon, kidney, skin and liver. The liver and colon play a critical role in the removal of fat soluble toxins
read more

Yes, I said it. Poop. Not only did I just say it, I make it a point to say it in every, single one of my Living Wellness University lectures- whether it is about the digestive system or it’s about your hormones- it applies and is critical to your health. This guarded act of defecation has somehow become such a secret affair for adults..
read more

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released new advice regarding the view our little kiddos should have during the first two years of life (in the car that is). In the April 2011 issue of Pediatrics, the AAP is now advising that we should keep children under the age of 2 in a rear-facing car seat or ‘until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat’.
read more

Ken was was your typical 50 year old man – enjoyed a good meal, relaxed with a few beers on the weekends, not very physically active and carrying around an extra 20-30 lbs. He recalls being diagnosed with high cholesterol ‘a few years back.’
read more

Earlier this month, researchers published the results of a study designed to understand if adults with children are healthier than adults without children. Before I get into the details, ask yourself….were you healthier before you had children?
read more

Last week the LA Times featured an article that caught my eye. It wasn’t a feature story by any means, but it jumped right off the page at me (or computer screen in my case). The article was titled, “If Food Addiction Exists, Blame The Brain – Not The Cookies”.
read more

In the Land of Primary Care there are a few medical diagnoses that really scare people like diabetes, and rightfully so. Most people may not realize it is an inflammatory disease caused by poor blood sugar management. (If you haven’t heard the latest buzzword in medicine called ‘inflammation,’ you better understand it soon.)
read more

Why is it so hard to believe that a specific food could be the cause of so many of your health problems? This is the question I pose to patients day in and day out. As a patient of an integrative or functional medicine doctor,
read more

"These days, our culture encourages patients to find a doctor who understands their needs best, and to seek out treatment that best suits them", health experts say.
read more

Way to go 90 Day Shredders!!!! Your dedication to this program is overwhelming! Cheryl, Lynn and I are thrilled to be your instructors guiding you through such significant changes and we can already see major strength gains in every single one of you!
read more

It’s strawberry season here in Florida. Having lived in San Francisco for 10 years, I used to believe that California strawberries were the best. My husband and I used to stop right in front of the Watsonville Farm for strawberries that were picked first thing that morning. Sounds like heaven right? It was….until I had a Plant City Strawberry!
read more

What an amazing week for the 90 Day Shred at the Center for Living Wellness. Kudos to everyone in our 6am and 6:30pm groups! Every ‘Shredder’ has had perfect attendance this first week and based on the class energy, I’m expecting nothing less for the next 83 days!! The most exciting part of this is how all walks of life are represented here.
read more

The motives of pharmaceutical companies have always been a polarizing debate amongst patients and physicians alike. These massive institutions have the capacity to wield a tremendous amount of good with their mega-monster capabilities in research and development. Of course, with that comes an equally seismic cost that must be reclaimed somehow.
read more

I’m an ‘all in’ kind of person. When I decide I’m going to accomplish a goal, it takes over my life completely. I buy books about the topic, bookmark websites, basically throw myself into it 150%! But, like most ‘All Inners’ like myself, that level of dedication doesn’t last very long.
read more

As a family that deals with a few food allergies, I find navigating theme park restaurants with food allergies or sensitivities can be incredibly frustrating, however, over the last year or so, Disney Parks are making great headway at catering to those with food allergies.
read more

The suffering caused by the terribly violent events in Tucson, Arizona bring into focus the desperate need of our society to focus on a solution to this type of behavior. When we forget that we are all simply the same 'human' creatures, made of the same organs, feeling the same happiness and avoiding the same suffering, we tend to lose our 'humanity.'
read more

Should doctors be held to a higher standard of healthy living as they are mentors, advisors and leaders to their patients on these matters of disease prevention and management? If you saw your oncologist smoking a cigarette out back or your cardiologist chugging down a sugary soda with his greasy burger, would your confidence and respect waiver?
read more

"Watson Pharmaceuticals has just been granted FDA approval for a chewable low-strength birth control pill." When I first heard of this, I thought it was a joke! A birth control for people who can't swallow pills?
read more

It may come as no surprise that I consider myself a work in progress. I am the kind of friend that wants to hear criticism and thoroughly enjoys being critiqued by those who know me well. So naturally, during this busy time of the year, I'm working on something. Right now, I'm focusing on staying present and mindful as much as possible.....not just ho-hum 'present and mindful' but really PRESENT AND MINDFUL!
read more

Oh yes...it's that time of year! A traditional time of overindulgence that begins with Thanksgiving and continues through to the New Year. Maybe it starts with not making the time to fit in exercise. Maybe it starts with that first delicious bite of pumpkin pie and carries you through the final toast on New Year's Eve.
read more

My husband's cousin is visiting from India and the topic of what I do always seems to get some good conversations and questions rolling. Believe me, I know it's not because of me. It's because the concept of being healthy makes everyone reflect on their own personal performance and curious about what they could be doing to get some more health in their day to day life.
read more

I had another amazing experience at the office today. A 77 year old woman came to us just a few months ago with arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux and prediabetes- not to mention her obesity.
read more

I was reading an article in the New York Times November 28, 2010 edition tonight and found a catchy title that obviously had me at 'Junking.' The title, "Junking Junk Food" did not prepare me, however, for the subject matter- should politicians be involved with the food choices that Americans make.
read more

Now, let's get back to the idea that soy acts like estrogen. Our bodies produce three different types of estrogen: estrone, estradiol and estriol. They are called E1, E2 and E3 respectively. E2 the most powerful form of estrogen which, when out of balance, can cause or worsen health challenges.
read more

One of the biggest debates in the health food-minded world today surrounds the use of soy and soy derived products. Some extol the benefits of soy ranging from healthier skin to breast cancer prevention, while others condemn the bean as a key contributor to hormone-related cancers. How can one little legume stir up so much controversy?
read more

Did you know that most people have a natural dip in their blood pressure (BP) while they are sleeping? Yeah, it can drop up to 20-30 mm Hg. The real benefit is that when your blood pressure drops, your blood vessels and your heart don't have to work as hard.
read more

How many times have you heard the terms "fish oil," "omega 3," or "omega 3 fatty acid" being plastered in health bulletins or recommendations lately? If you are paying any attention, it's everywhere! Why? Because there is so much excitement over the prospect of these 'good fats' in helping prevent and treat the #1 killer of Americans today- heart disease.
read more

The connection between the health of your brain and the health of your heart is irrefutable. It will take some time until scientists comb through the data to decide whether or not they will change "The Guidelines." These are the commandments that physicians will follow as they work to guide you in your disease management.
read more

Addiction is a word that conjures up many images- usually of the heroin addict, the alcoholic or the chain smoker. But have you ever thought about whether or not you might have an addiction to something less melodramatic? Did you ever think that your attachment to your coffee was something more than your love for a hot, comforting liquid?
read more

Some of the most important additions to my team are midlevel practitioners. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners, as they are more commonly known, have long been involved in helping physicians take care of patients in a meaningful way.
read more

We care for a patient who suffered from panic attacks, social anxiety, tremor, weakness, pain, headaches, muscle pains and the list goes on. She had made countless attempts to correct these symptoms by a variety of 'natural' methods before coming to see us. Before that, she had tried the conventional way, seeing specialists, trying lists of medications.
read more

Dr. Donald Abrams, Integrative Oncologist at the University of California San Franscisco, enjoys exploring and analyzing the integrative research to find additional options (AKA hope) for cancer patients. One simple recommendation (simple to understand, a little more complex to implement)- avoid sugar and red meat. Sugar and red meat feed cancer.
read more

As you well know, they don't always have fame and fortune for easy identification. One night, I was having one of those thought-changing talks with my brother-in-law (affectionately called Jijaji). Outwardly, he is a health-conscious, Harvard educated physicist living a simple life, doing the things he loves, surrounded by those he loves.
read more

Did you know that a newborn's developing immune system relies on certain bacteria from the environment getting into the body during the birthing process to become strong and balanced? When a baby is born through the vaginal canal, there are certain friendly bacteria that live in the vagina that get into and take residence in (inoculate) the baby's digestive system at that time.
read more

One important aspect of Vitamin D is its interconnectedness with a strong immune system. Well, this is the time of year when your immune system is of prime importance, right? Sure, this is when all the flus, colds, pneumonias, sinus infections, bronchitis' and everything else snotty, phlegmy and achy start to plague people with more and more momentum.
read more

Running. How do people do this activity for minutes and hours on end in one day? And then when you think they had all that time to think about what they were doing step after step after step, these runner people wake up the next day and do it again!!! "Amazing," I used to think.
read more

There is one word that strikes fear in the hearts of every diabetic that I have ever diagnosed in my office. One word that conjures up images of needles, syringes, blood, pricking yourself day in and day out, chasing high blood sugars and low blood sugars to avoid the dismal future of uncontrolled diabetes.
read more

More and more, I find women are apprehensive about starting medications for osteoporosis or osteopenia. The most common of these pharmaceuticals, called bisphosphonates, include popular brands like Fosamax, Boniva, and Actonel.
read more

One area of interest that is particularly a passion for AzCIM's founder, Dr. Andrew Weil, is the world of mental health. An excerpt from my Fellowship Training in Integrative Medicine was one that I think will really make you rethink your "just 1-2 cups of coffee a day" safe-place.
read more

For the record, I want to state up front that not every food that passed through my family is organic. I, like most of you, make decisions and prioritize my organic dollar. I know that there are some of you that exclusively purchase organic foods.
read more

Not a day goes by in our Integrative Medicine office that we don't see a "unexpected" manifestation of allergies. Most patients think that allergies are something that many people get because things like pollen, dust and other environmental allergens are unavoidable. What they don't always know is that having an allergy problem is having an immune system problem.
read more

It's been a long week at the office with plenty of excitement. It's rewarding on most days and occasionally emotionally draining on others. But today, I wanted to share a pull-at-your-heartstrings type of visit that I had.
read more

You're probably thinking, "Why is this a dreaded topic?" Well, the answer is pretty simple. I don't believe in pointing the finger or calling out another person, practice or company. Rather, tolerance helps battle negative emotions, a negative mind & spirit and the consequent unhealthy body (but that's another topic).
read more

So, let's talk about the Global & Environmental Impact of organic farming. In January, 2010 the USDA reported that 93.7 million cows live in the US. Some are dairy cows and others will make their way to our dinner tables. The US consumes over 33 million of these cows annually.
read more

The first key factor we'll consider is one that appeals to me both as a physician and mother of two beautiful children. That factor is Chemical Toxins. First off, what is a 'Chemical Toxin," you may ask?
read more

In the last twenty years, Americans have been a part of a fast-growing movement. It's a movement so strong that even the nation's largest food companies and retailers could not overlook it.
read more

Dinnertime at my house was always different as compared to the typical house in Suburbia, USA. As Asian Indians, we ate a vegetarian diet complete with grains, veggies, legumes and yoghurt. We ate with our hands and did many things just as my ancestors did.
read more

Working in an Integrative Medicine practice, I encounter many patients with high cholesterol and a resistance to taking certain cholesterol lowering medications. Statins, including popular names like Lipitor, Zocor, Vytorin, Crestor and generic medications ending in -statin, have been associated with liver damage and muscle pain which have sparked patient concerns.
read more

A well-informed mother brought her 18 month old daughter in for a routine well check. Her daughter was diagnosed with a dairy allergy as a young infant and she was working hard to reduce/eliminate dairy from her daughter's diet. Surprisingly, the daycare was reluctant to let Mom bring in a special lunch for her every day.
read more

As a first born Asian Indian American growing up in New York City, I never spoke a word of English until I began school. Naturally, my parents spoke to me in our mother tongue and conducted day to day life as authentically Indian as they could in a new country.
read more

Pap smear testing has come a long way. Hopefully, your doctor is still not smearing your cells on a slide and spraying a fixative on it. If you see a little liquid-filled vial on the counter, your doctor is likely with the times.
read more

You might have read my latest blog and just maybe you wondered if you were low in Vitamin D. If you didn't wonder, then let me say it again because chances are, you are low!
read more

Vitamin D is one of the "hottest" avenues of research in allopathic medicine* today. There is increasing physician and patient awareness about having the right vitamin D level for optimal health. Interestingly, vitamin D, the vitamin we get from the sun, is shockingly low in most patients. Of course you might not be surprised if I said nearly the whole state of Minnesota is vitamin D deficient, but could you absorb it if I said to you that I practice in sunny Florida and over 75% of my patients are low in vitamin D.
read more

If you've read Michael Pollan's work, you may already know how, decades ago, Americans were emphatically urged to cut fat out of their diet in order to avoid heart disease. The promise: the more foods you converted to low fat and nonfat versions, the better your health would be. The food industry had invented many processed foods that would improve your "well-being."
read more

Summer is here and it's time for America's favorite past-times- outdoor barbeques, trips to the beach and pool parties. Wherever you go, the motto is to do it up! Big, cheesy burgers, mounds of deep fried chips, liters of sugary sodas, artificially colored popsicles and towers of brownies flood the picnic table. We justify this as OK because summer is for fun, a time to reward ourselves with treats. I use the word "treats" loosely because the word itself implies we don't get them often. But here's the real 365 day calendar most party people follow before the Summer-o-Excess even begins.
read more

Integrative Medicine, Alternative Medicine, Natural Medicine, Holistic Medicine- many people are confused about the differences between these words but people are not confused about what they want from their doctor in concept. Integrative Medicine combines the knowledge of Western medicine practiced with alternative and complementary types of healing usually based on Eastern medical sciences.
read more