Woman Exercising

Life is great when you feel great!

Growing up as an athlete, I never heard of core training, stabilizer muscles, “vibrational plates” or kettle bells. (Even in chiropractic school we didn’t learn about these things). Nautilus machines were in fashion and that’s what we trained with. When I go in the gym today, however, very few people seem to be aware of the latest concepts in training. Guys are still pumping up the biceps and women are crunching away at the abs. However, there are much better ways to get results.

Recently I have turned my muscle testing attention to the question “How would my body exercise if given a choice”? The applications for kinesiology are as endless as the imagination. If the goal is to create a body that not only looks good but is also highly functional, proportional and resistant to injury, how would we go about attaining that? With muscle testing I get yes/no answers to statements or questions. The first question I ask is “does my body want to exercise now?” If I get a “yes” (muscle tests strong), I go through my list of possible exercises. The basic list is as follows:

1. Stretching  2. Cardio  3. Chest  4. Arms  5. Upper back  6. Shoulders  7. Low back  8. Core  9. Glutes  10. Legs  11. Lats (pull-ups)  12. Neck muscles

The testing will tell me the one area of the body is most in need of attention. It is basically my “weak link”. After doing a couple sets of exercises in that area, I re-test to see if I should do more or if I’ve done enough. In this way I’m really listening to my body and giving it just what it wants and not too much. Once I’m done with those exercises, I muscle test for the next area that wants to be worked. These workouts usually last about 20 minutes and cover 3 or 4 areas of the body.

I have been surprised, in the few weeks I’ve been experimenting with this technique, that my body wants to work certain areas much more that others. Almost every day I personally test for doing low back and core strengtheners and almost never “chest”, which is my strongest area. If you would like to be tested at my chiropractic clinic to see how you should be training, we can set up a 15-minute evaluation to make sure you are making the most of your workouts and not just working hard but smart. In addition, we can test and see what forms of exercise are best for you (yoga, swimming, cycling, hiking etc.) In the end, exercise should be fun, or at least not torture. When I go surfing I’m having so much fun I don’t even realize I’m getting an incredible workout at the same time.

Have fun in all you do!

Hesu Whitten DC

The Blues are Only Good in Music

It is absurd how many people are on anti-depressants to feel right and require sleeping pills to get a good night’s rest. There are many natural substances that can boost serotonin and melatonin levels without the side effects of medication. In this article I’ll go over the more common remedies and herbs and what they are used for. In my Santa Barbara chiropractic clinic I use kinesiology to test patients who suffer from anxiety, depression and sleep problems, to determine which of the following remedies will work best for each patient and at what dosage.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophane) is derived from L-tryprophan and comes from the seeds of a woody shrub native to West Africa called the Griffonia simplicifolia plant.  5-HTP is the biochemical precursor to the neurotransmitters Serotonin and Melatonin with the help of vitamin B6.  It is commonly used to treat obesity, depression, anxiety, insomnia, PMS, migraines, and addictive behavior. 5-HTP therefore increases Serotonin in the brain and is responsible for feelings of well being, satisfaction and normal sleep patterns. Serotonin is not found in large amounts in most diets so the body has to manufacture it from foods which contain L-tryptophan, such as chocolate, oats, bananas, dried dates, meat, fish, turkey, chicken, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, chickpeas, sesame and peanuts. Many people, therefore, crave the aforementioned foods (fats and carbohydrates), especially when under stress, causing weight gain, depression, headaches, and muscle aches. Clinical studies have shown that supplementing with 5-HTP produces beneficial results in weight loss, anxiety and depression. It improves sleep patterns and reduces sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Research shows that 5-HTP is effective and safe at dosages under 100 mg per day.

Rhodiola Rosea is next on my list of natural remedies for the blues. It is a remarkable herb with a wide and varied history of uses. It is known to strengthen the nervous system, fight depression, enhance immunity, elevate the capacity for exercise, enhance memory, aid weight reduction, increase libido and improve energy levels. It has long been used as a potent adaptogen, which is a natural plant substance that increases the body’s resistance and normalizes the functions of the body. For depression, Rhodiola seems to work by enhancing the transport of serotonin precursors, tryptophan and 5-HTP, into the brain.

Rhodiola has a legendary history dating back thousands of years. In 77 A.D., the Greek physician Dioscorides documented the applications of the plant in his classic text De Materia Medica. The Vikings depended on the herb to enhance their strength and endurance, while Chinese emperors sent expeditions to Siberia to bring back “the golden root”. The people of central Asia considered a tea brewed from Rhodiola to be the best treatment for colds and flus. Mongolian physicians prescribed it for tuberculosis and cancer.

Next on my highly abbreviated list of natural blues-busters is the well known herb St. John’s Wort. SJW contains several chemicals, including hypericin, which are thought to be the main sources of antidepressant activity. In several studies on animals and humans, one or more of the chemicals in St. John’s Wort appears to delay the re-absorption of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, thus leaving more of these anti-depressant chemicals in circulation. SJW is also used for anxiety, OCD, hypothyroid, and is being investigated for its potent anti-viral activity in high doses.

The final supplement that I will review is called GABA, which is a potent “inhibitory” neurotransmitter. GABA is essential to normal brain function because it stops excess brain activity. Without it, the brain would be like an electrical storm, firing away without anything to stop it. Supplemental GABA is used to help with anxiety and excessive worrying or thinking.

As chiropractors, we have access to powerful supplements not available to the general public, that combine all these remedies, plus a few others, in one formula. When a patient takes these in combination with Omega 3 essential fatty acids and receives chiropractic adjustments, we have been able to help stabilize moods, restore normal sleep cycles and prevent many from having to use medical anti-depressants and sleep aids.

In my next article I will discuss natural remedies for improving low energy levels (chronic fatigue) and low libido. As always I invite you to pass these articles along and come in for an assessment if you have any health concerns.

Enjoy your health,

Hesu Whitten DC

Tibetan Monks in Santa Fe

It is impossible to be healthy while suffering with chronic stress. Getting a handle on stress is integral to being healthy and overcoming addictive behaviors. I just want to say I am a serious Byron Katie fan. To me she has resolved the Big Issue that Buddhism and Taoism have been trying to address for thousands of years, namely how to master and live in harmony with this wild monkey called the mind. Katie’s books and CD’s apply a simple technique to help us come to a place of peace and acceptance with the great tragedies and little annoyances of our lives. The premise is that it is not the circumstances of life that cause us stress, but rather our thoughts about those circumstances. Without the mind all problems disappear. Every thought is met with the question “I wonder if that is true”.

One of the biggest insights I got was when she challenged the idea that we have to make decisions. How many of us wrack our brains trying to decide how to handle a certain situation? Katie suggests that perhaps decisions just make themselves. After all, we didn’t decide to be born. We don’t decide to wake up in the morning. We don’t decide if we’re straight or gay. It all just happens without any mental processing. Now when I’m faced with a question like ‘should I move to another home’ or ‘should I go out tonight’ I just relax and see how things play out. Either way is perfect since I’ve also given up the thought “I could make a wrong decision”. I find this way of thinking to be a wonderful game I can play with my mind if I ever catch myself getting stressed out by anything!

One of Byron Katie’s key insights is that whenever I find myself believing that anything “should” be different than the way it is, I suffer. I am at war with existence. Another big concept is that there are three types of business—my business, someone else’s business, and God’s business. It is futile and insane to be worrying about someone else’s or God’s business.

Anyway I highly recommend her books to anyone in my chiropractic clinic who has not yet reached enlightenment. The first book to get is Loving What Is. This delves deeply into her technique for dealing with stressful thoughts.  After that, read I Need Your Love, Is that True? This is a great one for anyone in relationship or recovering from one. Her insights are treasures that dissolve the stress and make life so much more enjoyable and relaxing.

To your great health and happiness,

Hesu Whitten DC

New Year’s Resolution!

Happy 2012!!! The new year is a great time to set intentions for greater health, wealth and overall happiness. I’d like to offer a few ideas to get your new year off to a great start.

First – Make sure that you’re hydrating your body well. Drink half your weight in ounces each day. Ex. If you weigh 150lbs., you would  drink 75oz of water per day. If you drink coffee, soda or are exercising a lot, drink even more!

Second – Add some passion to your exercise program. You’re more likely to succeed at a work out program if you’re having fun … so, dance, hike, play volleyball, bike ride by the ocean, throw a frisbee with the kids and if you’re feeling a little amorous, that’s always a great way to exercise

Third, make sure to set your intentions clearly and to focus on seeing them actually come into fruition on a daily basis. Make sure not to sabotage those dreams by having negative thoughts around them. Also, tell Dr. Whitten what you’re focusing on manifesting and he can make sure to help you clear any blockages or negative beliefs that are slowing down your progress from living the magnificent life you were meant to live!

Fourth, in this crazy, busy world of ours, it’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem and forget to nurture yourself! Make sure to take time for you … be it a walk on the beach, a massage, special time for meditation each and every day (even if just 15 minutes), a healthy diet … and most of all, fun! If you’re body, mind and spirit are in need of a bit more fine tuning from the Healing Place, we’ll work with your schedule and budget to come up with the perfect program to bring you the highest levels of physical and emotional health!

Remember that whatever your resolutions are for this amazing New Year, we’re here to support you.

The Winter Blues!

It’s normal for a natural “funk” to set in after the holidays. If the increase in the credit card balances from gift buying and extra calories from holiday meals isn’t enough to bring you down, the lack of sunlight from the shorter winter days and increased colds and flus can often impact a person’s mood. The Healing Place has some suggestions to beat the “winter blues!”

In the arena of food and supplements, make sure to get plenty of Vitamin D, anti-oxidants and immune boosters in your diet. As well, mood enhancing supplements can assist with stress or depression, such as St. John’s Wart, SAMe, 5htp and kava. Dr. Whitten can test your system to see what works the best for you!

Additionally, exercising and adding more joy to your life by introducing hobbies or new activities to your routine can be a real moral booster!

Holistic Cancer Therapies and Clinics

What got me interested in holistic healing originally was when my grandmother was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. I was 13 years old and she was told by medical doctors that she had six months to live and that a $100,000 bone marrow transplant was her only chance. She told them to forget it and went down to the Gerson clinic in Tiajuana, Mexico in search of complementary alternative therapies for cancer. She was placed on a rigorous diet of organic foods and fresh juices. They had her doing five coffee enemas per day to detoxify the liver etc.  She returned to her home and continued the regimen that she had learned from the Gerson clinic.  Within seven months her tests revealed no signs of cancer.

What struck me was that her medical doctors had no interest in knowing what she had done to get well.  That fact shattered my previously positive image of the medical establishment.  I realized that most doctors are not as open minded and curious to learn how to help people as I once believed.  I also saw that while they have brilliant methods for saving lives in emergency situations, they don’t really know that much about healing people with chronic illness.

I learned later that clinics like Gerson and Hoxsey were operating in Mexico because the US medical association had managed to have them banned from this country.  These clinics had become a serious threat to the medical cancer business….so much for the free-market.  Recently I became aware that, despite their poor success rates, it is actually illegal for a medical doctor to recommend anything other than chemo and radiation for their cancer patients and could lose their license if they recommended any complementary alternative therapies for cancer.

In the 1980’s, reporter and medical doctor Nicolas Gonzales investigated a dentist in Texas, Dr. William Kelly, who was claiming to be curing pancreatic as well as other forms of cancer.  At the time, the medical profession was succeeding with 0% of their pancreatic cancer patients, who were dying an average of eight weeks after diagnosis.  Dr. Gonzales expected to quickly expose the sham and report it.  He ended up studying the methods of Dr. Kelly for years and was so impressed and inspired with his work that he soon took over his practice.  Gonzales reported on the successes he had observed and recommended that the medical research centers study the methods employed by Dr. Kelly, which, of course, they ignored. Dr. Kelly was recommending a strict dietary regimen, pancreatic enzymes, coffee enemas, chiropractic care and emotional healing/prayer.

At my Santa Barbara chiropractic clinic I have available many natural remedies that have been used successfully to treat people with cancer. I use kinesiology/muscle testing to determine which one’s would be best for your condition and to determine ideal dosages.  In future blogs we will discuss other natural ‘cancer cures’ which have stood the test of time and are still in practice decades later.  As always, you are welcome to come for a free evaluation.

Alternative Treatment Cancer

As Dean Black says about the ‘War on Cancer’, the body is not some battleground that we should declare war on with toxic chemicals (chemotherapy), it is a garden that needs adequate nutrients, sunlight and water. When one is looking for an alternative treatment for cancer, complementary to, or in place of, the realm of western allopathic medicine, there are hundreds of options. It can be a very confusing process, especially when one is facing the consequences of making the wrong choices.

Most oncologists will say that chemotherapy and radiation are the only options and that nothing else has any merit. However, when you read John Robbins’ Reclaiming Our Health, he explains how 75% of people in the field of oncology reported that they would not submit to chemo and radiation if they or someone in their family had cancer due to its “ineffectiveness and unacceptable toxicity”. Also, in the past 40 years, since the “war on cancer” was declared and the US government pledged to give tens of billions annually in cancer research money, the rates of cancer have risen from 18% to 40%! Robbins explains that when oncologists talk about their treatments having, say, “a 75% response rate”, they don’t mean that 75% of the people are cured and go on to live a long and healthy life….they mean that the tumor shrunk (even if the patient may have died). They speak of a “success” as someone who lives for at least five years after diagnosis.

So given this track record, and the fact that chemo makes some people so sick that they view death as a blessing, reasonable minds look for other options. Passive, victim-minded people with cancer curse their bad luck and look to doctors to cure them. Intelligent minds ask ‘how did I get this illness’, ‘how have I made myself so toxic that my immune system is failing’ and ‘what emotional pain am I still carrying that has led my health to decline’? Is there an alternative treatment cancer? Responsible people view cancer as a wake up call to deal with the unhealthy habits and patterns they have been ignoring or not known how to repair. And they look for holistic doctors that will assist them in the emotional healing process (as well as to cleanse the body of impurities and provide the proper nutrition for the body to repair itself).

At the Santa Barbara chiropractic clinic we use clinical kinesiology, and a system I developed called Quantum Chiropractic, to assess the body’s physical and emotional needs and determine the optimal modalities to correct these imbalances. We offer a very responsible alternative treatment to cancer. People are amazed by how quickly they get well when they are diagnosed and treated correctly.

If you or anyone you know is faced with cancer and want alternative treatment, or are just looking for a chiropractor that does more than just pop your bones, please call for a free evaluation.

Despite the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on curing cancer through chemo, surgery, radiation and genetic manipulation, cancer is still the number one killer in America. Having surpassed heart disease a few years back, cancer is a sign of the general poor health of our culture. And instead of encouraging the many promising holistic methods for treating this deadly affliction, the AMA has done everything in its great power to destroy and blacklist any modality that does not conform to the Western disease-care model (despite its dismal success rate).

Before we explore the nutritional and herbal cancer treatments, let’s look at what cancer is and why people may get this disease. There are obviously many forms of cancer–leukemia (involving blood cells), bone cancers, cancers of the various organs etc.  But in all cases, the biological purpose of this disease is to return unhealthy tissue back to the soil. The cells become damaged or toxic from excessive carcinogens–solar radiation, chemicals, pollution–and if the immune system is over-burdened from stress or unhealthy lifestyle, cancer can over-run the weakened body.

Much attention has been given to the fact that the rates of cancer are dramatically higher among people who have lost a loved one within the previous year. These studies show the role emotional distress has on weakening one’s immune system and leaving one susceptible to cancer. Conversely, Norman Cousins became famous for curing himself of a deadly disease by simply laughing. When he learned he was dying, he got all the classic comedy movies and laughed himself back to health. This example shows the incredible power the mind has to effect our health.

In the next blog I will discuss some of the most exciting breakthroughs that are coming out not only for treating cancer but also for maintaining overall good health that I use in my Santa Barbara chiropractic clinic.

A strong immune system starts at birth, and even before. I preach a very simple principle which is this:  the further you get from living a natural lifestyle, the more out of balance you become and the more likely you are to develop health problems. Nature has figured out many things about how to live. It has figured out how to create sex drive so that a child is conceived. It gives a woman intuitive wisdom about how to give birth. And It has created the most perfect food for the infant—human milk. This milk contains not only the nutrients needed for the baby’s development but also the immune factors needed to protect from disease.

Why has medicine gone and tampered with every aspect of what should be a natural process. Child birth is not an illness! The death rates from home births are lower than from hospital births. People in out culture have lost touch with their instincts and most women would rather not experience the pain of childbirth. Medicine comes in and says, ‘we will make sure you feel no pain’. Unfortunately, studies have shows that the pain killers that women take for labor pains make the child ‘drunk’ and interrupt the bonding between mother and child that happens when childbirth is experienced without the numbing effects of drugs.

And then milk formulas came along so that mothers can avoid the inconvenience of nursing. All of this compromises the child’s immunity as well as their emotional development. The emotional effects of a long bonding process with mom through nursing may have an even larger immune benefit than the nutritional aspect of drinking nature’s formula. And thus begins the departure from Nature and living by natural principles.

As has become well known by now is the often horrendous consequences of vaccination. These are destroying children’s immune systems with the mercury and additives in these cocktails. Vaccination makes no sense and is not backed with solid science. Why take a vaccination for polio and small pox which no longer exist? Why take a shot for chicken pox which is a harmless four day childhood illness that you get only once? Why get a tetanus shot after stepping on a rusty nail? The nail has a 1 in 1000 chance of having tetanus. What makes anyone think that the sensible treatment for this is to give you a shot which has a 100% chance of having tetanus after the fact? Why give a newborn a Hepatitis B vaccine when Hep B is a disease of intravenous drug users? How hard can an infant party? Why get an MMR vaccine when the autism rate has skyrocketed since the MMR came out?

In my office I check nursing mothers, through muscle testing (kinesiology), for the foods to which their baby is allergic. By the mother avoiding these foods the baby will continue nursing usually for a long time.  Call for a complementary evaluation in my Santa Barbara holistic chiropractic office located in one of Santa Barbara’s most beautiful.

In the next blog I’ll discuss maintaining a strong immune system through childhood.

Dr. Whitten's home and office

Strong Immunity Through Holistic Chiropractic

Few people know that there actually is no such ‘thing’ as the immune system. Unlike other systems, which are comprised of specific organs and clearly defined anatomical structures, the entire body participates in and supports our immunity. All immune cells originate from stem cells in our bone marrow. Our blood stream contains millions of circulating white blood cell which protect us from potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. Other cellular guardians monitor our DNA and splice out mutations from carcinogenic substances that invade our genetic code and can potentially cause cancer.

Few people realize how vital proper spinal alignment is to maintaining strong immunity. The spine houses and protects the spinal cord, which delivers communication between the brain and the body. Every function of the body depends on these nerve transmissions. When the spine is out of alignment, from sports, accidents, poor posture, and even sleeping on a bad mattress, the vertebrae can touch the delicate nerves and interfere with their electrical signals. Seeing a holistic chiropractor for monthly maintenance, even when one is not in pain, is a great way to ensure your body is functioning optimally.

The intestines also play a large role in our immune system. Peyer’s Patches, located in the walls of the small intestines, are lymphoid follicles that destroy bacteria, preventing them from entering the bloodstream. They also generate memory lymphocytes for long term immunity. Maintaining a healthy intestinal tract through proper nutrition, hydration and using probiotics to counter yeast overgrowth is therefore a good way to support your overall health.

There are also powerful herbs, both American and Chinese, that assist immunity through detoxification, lymph drainage and strengthening our adrenal glands. In the 1920’s a nurse from Canada, nurse Caisse, was given a formula to help her cure her own cancer. It was successful and she went on to help thousands of other cancer patients, including JFK’s personal physician who was struck with intestinal cancer. Her formula was named Essiac (her name spelled backwards) and she kept the formula a secret until just before her death in 1980. The ingredients are very powerful for detoxifying the body and I find it effective for many of my non-cancer patients as well.

In my next blog I will share several other valuable tools for strengthening our immune system naturally. And as always feel free to call for a complementary evaluation in my Santa Barbara holistic chiropractic office.

Lose Weight the Holistic Way

Weight loss has been the hottest topic in America for years now. Thousands of books have been written about it. The rates of obesity in the US have gone up consistently for the past three decades and it has become the most significant health care issue of our times. As everyone now knows, the big businesses like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers get quick results but when researchers check back two years later, the improvements only last in about 5% of the cases. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because the underlying emotional issues were never addressed.

People maintain the weight with which they are “comfortable”. When people have highly stressful lives, unresolved abuse issues, self-esteem problems, or have suffered trauma and live in chronic pain, they resort to food (or alcohol, drugs, sex, video games etc.) for temporary comfort. The choice is unconscious and therefore, over time, people revert back to old habits unless the underlying factors are addressed and new habits are formed. Brain expert Daniel Amen says it takes thirty days for the brain to form a new habit.

Self destructive behavior is a sign of unresolved emotional conflict. Why else would a person engage in an activity which is not life-enhancing. No other species eats in a way that is harmful to itself. You don’t see a horse (see horse sense) eating cake and ice cream on its birthday. No other animal is so silly/stupid/ misguided (you pick the term). This is because no other species has free will. Other creatures are guided solely by the principles of Nature. We too are guided by the Nature principle but we struggle with a second drive, free will, which gives us the ability to override Nature in favor of the pleasure principle. Nature always seeks ‘Balance’. The road back to health and balance is one of re-connecting with Nature and using our free choice to align our actions with Her.

When we align with Nature we ‘tune in’ to our intuitive wisdom and do things that promote life. These are things like eating in a way that makes the body feel good (not for short term pleasure), getting plenty of rest, living in a safe and healthy environment, earning a living in a way that is enjoyable and allows us to be creative and feel appreciated. These ideas are obvious to most but why can’t people simply follow through? Underlying emotional conflict and immature strategies that we have adopted to survive must be resolved and potentialized in order for us to function more fully. Over the past twenty years I have been studying and developing techniques to unravel the core emotional and spiritual challenges that keep people from accessing their full potential to be healthy, happy, and successful individuals on every level. The goal is to free people up psychologically to first know what they want (most people don’t really know) and then create it and enjoy it.

At the Santa Barbara holistic chiropractic office we work on physical, chemical and emotional issues. We can ask your body to prioritize the most significant problem, using a unique manual muscle testing technology, so your body begins to transform naturally from the inside out. At the chemical level, when people become obese, the fat, which manufactures excessive estrogen, makes it very hard to lose weight. Using Clinical Kinesiology we can evaluate your hormonal state and balance your pituitary-thyroid-adrenal axis and normalize the endocrine system. This makes weight loss possible. Structurally, the spine houses the central nervous system which controls every function in the body. When the vertebrae are misaligned it can irritate delicate nerves, cause pain, and interfere with the organs and glands, keeping them from functioning efficiently. I have developed breakthrough methods for correcting structural distortion patterns and resolving chronic spinal pain.

Come in for a complementary evaluation in my chiropractic office, located in one of Santa Barbara’s most beautiful historic Victorian mansions.

To your health,

Hesu Whitten DC

(805)962-8548