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Chromotherapy/Color Therapy

How appealing does this Infrared Sauna look right now in this cold April New York weather? Have you ever heard of Color Therapy or Chromotherapy? Chromotherapy is used in NAO Wellness’s Infrared Saunas in order for users to reap benefits of both the sauna and chromotherapy at the same time. NAO Wellness is a wellness sanctuary located on a beautiful street in the West Village. They offer nutrition counseling and food intolerance testing, reiki, chiropractic care, host wellness workshops and events, have infrared saunas and are currently working on a room for sound healing and other holistic services. IMG-2851

There are so many benefits of using an Infrared Sauna alone including detoxification, muscle and joint pain relief, increase of circulation, reduce inflammation, lowering of blood pressure, weight loss and skin purification. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Infrared Saunas  you can check out my previous post here.

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Chromotherapy is a method of treatment that uses the colors of electromagnetic radiation to cure diseases. It has health, emotional and cosmetic benefits.

Ancient observation chromotherapy is a centuries-old concept. It was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, China and by the Mayans. The Egyptians utilized sunlight as well as color for healing. Color has been investigated as medicine since 2000 BC.

Color psychology and medicine were substantially tested by Robert Gerard, Ph.D., of UCLA in the 1950’s. He analyzed the area of light, color and their psychophysiological imprints. He tested the reactions of the entire body with colored light beamed onto the skin of the subject. Gerard’s data showed that all colors affect the human both psychologically and physiologically.

Warm colors: Warm colors showed a consistently pronounced pattern of stimulation. Warm colors helped those with reactive depression or neurasthenia. They increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.  Exposure to warm colors increased respiratory movements, frequency of eye blinks, cortical activation and palmar conductance (arousal of the autonomic nervous system).

Cool colors:  Cool colors showed a consistent pattern of relaxation.  Anxious subjects were calmed by these cooler colors, lowering blood pressure, providing relief from tension, alleviating muscle spasms and reducing eye blink frequency. They also proved to be an aid for insomnia.

If you are interested in reading more about the specific light color benefits, check out the image below. In the sauna, you have the choice to choose a color to stick with or you can have the light system rotating automatically through each color during your session.

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For more, check out my Instagram @dshamptonorganics


References:

Azeemi, Samina T. Yousuf, and Mohsin Raza. “A Critical Analysis of Chromotherapy and Its Scientific Evolution.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2, no. 4, 2 Dec. 2005, pp. 481–488., doi:10.1093/ecam/neh137.

NAO Wellness. “Infrared Sauna.” NAO Wellness, naowellness.com/.

 

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Reiki for Healing

Reiki is a spiritual, vibrational healing art used to promote balance in the human body with its roots in Japanese origin. The word Reiki comes from the Japanese word (Rei) which means “Universal Life” and (Ki) which means “Energy”. It is believed that a person’s “ki” or energy should be strong and free flowing. When this is true, a person’s body and mind are in a positive state of health. When the energy becomes blocked, it could lead to symptoms of physical or emotional imbalance.

A Reiki session is typically 60-90 minutes. Prior to the session, The Reiki Practitioner and client will usually discuss any particular problem or issue they are experiencing and ask them what they are hoping to achieve from their session. The last Reiki session I went to was a little over a year ago. Prior to the session, the practitioner mixed cards which I then pulled out from the deck. These cards were supposed to be relevant to my life. The cards I pulled are the ones shown on the photo to the right. We also went over the different chakras of the body and meanings associated with each.

During the session, the client will rest comfortably on a massage table on their back with their shoes removed. The Practitioner may apply a light touch during the session, hold their hands slightly above your body. A recipient of Reiki might feel a warming sensation or a tingling during the session or nothing at all but sheer relaxation. I had a large sense of emotion during the session and while the practitioners hands were hovering over me, I felt a heavy push of energy from her hands. The practitioner went over each chakra & my throat chakra felt specifically heavy. I also did Reiki a year prior to that a few times with a different practitioner and I felt very relaxed during the session and almost fell asleep.  This Reiki practitioner in particular was supposedly psychic. During the session she was speaking to me about whatever came to her while putting her hands over my body. A lot of it did not make sense at the time, but looking back, some of the things she was saying makes more sense now. I felt very overwhelmed after the session.

Reiki is a tool for stress reduction, relaxation and wellness. Reiki is not a cure for a disease or illness, but it may assist the body in creating an environment to facilitate healing.

It is interesting, I was watching this video on Reiki and it asks if you have a headache, stomach ache, or pain elsewhere most people’s reaction is to place their hands on the corresponding area.”Reiki amplifies and intensifies the power of touch”.

Our bodies are made up of energy. We exist in a universe of energy. This concept may be hard to understand for some people at first because we aren’t really taught this in school. However, everything in this world is essentially energy. For example, the difference between hot and cold water is energy right?

This photo was taken at Goddess Sanctuary & Spa in Mineola, Long Island. They also have Full & New Moon Meditation classes. If you go to my Instagram, @dshamptonorganics to this photo you can see some informative comments of people commenting about their (positive) experience with reiki.

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Apitherapy: Bee Venom Therapy

Apitherapy  or Bee venom therapy (derived from the Latin word apis, meaning bee) is the medicinal use of products made by honeybees. Bee Venom Therapy  has magnificent healing properties and is effective for the treatment of multiple chronic and autoimmune conditions.

Homeopathic honeybee venom therapy is a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reducing agent. Therapies using the honeybee have existed for thousands of years. The ancient rock art of early hunter-gatherers portrays the honeybee as a common source of natural medicine. Bee Venom Therapy was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China, three Great Civilizations known for their well advanced medical systems. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician known as the “Father of Medicine”, identified the healing properties of bee venom for treating arthritis and other joint problems. Today, there is scientific evidence developing that suggests that various bee products promote healing by improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, and stimulating a healthy immune response, according to the American Apitherapy Society.

As stated by Holistic MD, it is particularly helpful for patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuralgias, lyme disease, Bell’s palsy, carpal tunnel syndrome, herpes zoster, osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis and many other conditions.

There are three ways to get Bee Venom Therapy:

  1. You can go to a practitioner and have them inject bee venom stings using a siring.I recommend starting of this way. This way, the practitioner who is injecting you, for example, can inject an equivalent to one honey bee venom sting into 10 different shots on your body. That way, if you are very sensitive to the sting, you will not blow up a grand amount in one spot on your body. The practitioner can also test before doing thing with a small amount how reactive you are to the honey bee venom. As you continue to get treatments, your tolerance to the bee venom stings will get better, allowing your body to receive more venom.
  2. You can also get live honey bee venom stings from a practitioner. This way supposedly has more benefits coming from a live bee. After building up a tolerance, you can start getting live honey bee venom stings.
  3. The last way to do this, is ordering bees and stinging yourself. There is a community of people on facebook, most who are chronically ill who use this method. The group is called Pioneers: Healing Lyme with Bee Venom Therapy. Here, they have a specific Bee Venom Therapy Protocol to follow.

Reactions

Most reactions are mild.  Most people experience redness, mild swelling, heat and itching in the area of the injections, which is a conventional part of the treatment process. This can last from a few minutes to 2-5 days and go away by themselves.  More serious reactions include flu-like symptoms lasting up to several days. This herx reaction is also routine as your body is going through a fighting/healing response. It is best to do nothing, to recognize the reaction and allow the body go through the healing process.

The composition of Bee Venom according to Biocure:

Melitin: Powerful Anti-Viral , Anti-bacterial & Anti-inflammatory , Stimulates ACTH secretion in the Pituitary Gland , Destabilizes all the membrane structures at the level of the phospholipids – which produces Strong anti-inflammatory effects.
Long-lasting, short-acting histaminic effects: Increased capillary permeability, edema (swelling), temperature elevation, itching, pain; increased vitality and sense of well being; forces bee venom to attach to negatively charged cell wall; anti-oxidant action.
Apamin: Stimulates central and peripheral nervous system. Stimulates secretion of serotonin and dopamine; anti-arrhythmic. So it Increases central and peripheral pain threshold, decreases pain, increases sense of well-being.
Adolapin: Inhibits enzymes in metabolic cascades of arachidonic acid and cyclo-oxygenase. so it has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic / pain releife action.
Mast Cell Degranulating Peptide (MCDP or peptide 401): Has Anti-inflammatory actions (approximately 100 times stronger than hydrocortisone) So it Reduces inflammation and pain through local action on tissue inflammation. Activates adrenal and sympathetic system.
Hyluronidase, Secapin, Tertiapin, Procamine: Anti-inflammatory , Pain relief by inhibition of “substance P” ( It function as a neurotransmittor and neuro-modulator , Substance P is released from the terminals of specific sensory nerves, it is found in the brain and spinal cord, and is associated with inflammatory processes and pain).
Compound X , Phospholipase A2 , Histamine: Involved in the inflammatory response of Venom, with the softening of tissue and the Facilitation of flow of the other substances deeper into the tissues.
Measurable amounts of the neurotransmittors: Dopamine , Norepinephrine and Seratonine.

For more, check out my instagram @dshamptonorganics


Recommendations where to get treated

  • Dr. Michael Gurevich, MD: Phone: 516-674-9489 Address: 997 Glen Cove Avenue · Glen Head, NY 11545
    • Bee Venom stings from a siring
  • BioCure: Phone: (917)-214-7298 Address: 92-04   95th  Ave.  Ozone Park , Queens, NY. 11416
    • Live Bee Venom stings

References

“ABOUT APITHERAPY :American Apitherapy Society.” ABOUT APITHERAPY :American Apitherapy Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.

“Apitherapy: Homeopathic Bee Venom Therapy.” Holistic MD. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.

“Bee Venom Therapy Clinic (Bee Sting Therapy) at Queens , New York. USA.” Bee Venom Therapy Clinic (Bee Sting Therapy) at Queens , New York. USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.

 

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Ionic Foot Bath

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It is difficult to find reliable sources on the Ionic Foot Bath. I usually like to source all of my blogs from reliable sources. For this particular article, I will state some information on what an Ionic Foot Bath is and my own experience with them.

What is an Ionic foot baths?

In simple terms: Removes toxins by generating positive and negative ions which are able to attach themselves to impurities that are oppositely charged in your feet.

In more detailed terms: The bath operates through a process called electrolysis. In this process, an electrical current is generated within the foot bath water which causes the molecules of water to divide producing negative ions. Once an abundance of these negative ions are present in the foot bath water, the body then absorbs the ions through osmosis, which is the movement of particles through a membrane from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. In this case, the higher concentration refers to the negative ions produced by the ion field that is set up by placing electrodes into the water. As the vast majority of foreign contaminate matter found on the feet and within the body is positively charged, including such matter as harmful chemicals, heavy metals, parasites and other such materials, the negative ions are attracted to the positively charged foreign contaminates and bind with those foreign contaminates. The body then can readily eliminate the bound foreign contaminates through its own natural processes.

Toxins Removed:

  • Heavy Metal Toxicity
  • Lactic Acids
  • Pesticides/Fungicides
  • Cholesterol Deposits
  • Drugs/Medication Debris
  • Lymphatic Congestion
  • Cellular Debris
  • Exhaust Fumes
  • Parasites
  • Second Hand Smoke

Benefits:

  • Liver Detoxification
  • Increases Energy
  • Reduces Stress
  • Pain Relief
  • Improves Memory & Sleep
  • Sexual Health
  • Stronger Immune System
  • Oxygenates Your Cells
  • Better Well Being & Attitude
  • Calms & Relaxes

My Experience

Based on how your foot bath looks at the end of the session, tells you what toxins were pulled from your body through the pores of your feet. Common colors are orange for joint toxins, blue for hormonal toxins or black for liver toxins. Usually within your first few foot baths, the color will get darker, which indicates more toxins being released. As you continue to get the foot baths on a regular basis, the water should get lighter. I have had many foot baths. I have noticed this pattern occur in my foot baths. There was a time a few months ago my water was almost completely black. I noticed that my bath always has a heavy dose of colors specific to my “problem areas” of my body. I have had people sitting next to me with completely blue baths who tell me they have hormone problems and that their bath is always that color. Also based on my observation, usually older or those with serious illness have very dark baths, indicating high toxicity levels. Based on these observations it seems like there is some validity to the Ionic Foot Bath detox.

Where to get an Ionic Foot Bath

 

For more check out my instagram @nychamptonshealth

References

“Colon Hydrotherapy | Detox Clay | Garden City | Smithtown.” Cleansing Concepts. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.