Wellness Blog

Are the products you are using making you sick?

October 17, 2016 /

Beauty products courtesy freedigitalphotos.netOver the past few years, I have become more and more aware of all of the different products that I use in my life. It started with using more natural cleaning products as I have had a longtime sensitivity to harsh chemicals and the fumes they contain. I’ve also always been sensitive to artificial fragrances in things like lotions.

But as I have stepped further and further into my own healing process and have also been called to become more knowledgeable so that I can support clients on their path to health, I have been learning more and more about how various products like lotions, makeups, and skin products of all types contain a very long list of chemicals that can be harmful to our health.

Several months ago, I learned that the last law in the US to regulate the safety of personal products was in 1938! 1938 was a LONG time ago AND so many chemicals have been created since that time period. It was also shocking to me to learn that there are only 11 chemicals banned from use in personal care products in the US, while in the European Union there are over 1,300!

I’m writing this post because this is important information that we ALL need to be aware of. Toxins are easily absorbed through our skin and those toxins can then contribute to developing a wide range of health issues- from autoimmune diseases, to allergies, to even cancer. Toxins in products contribute to epigenetic changes in our bodies (changes in genetic expression), which are the major cause behind most disease.

Now that you are aware of the problem, what can you do?

Continue to educate yourself on the topic. There are many great resources to support learning more about toxins in various products. The Environmental Working Group has great resources to help you learn more about key ingredients to look out for. Another company that makes great products that exclude all chemicals banned in the EU and on a mission to change the industry is Beautycounter.

Look for products with a short list of ingredients and try and go as natural as possible by using things like coconut oil to help moisture your skin.

Some key ingredients to watch out for include: BHA, BHT, DEA-related ingredients, coal tar, formaldehyde,  dibutyl phthalate, parabens, parfum, petrolatum, sodium laureth sulfate, and triclosan.

While it may seem scary and overwhelming to navigate all the products out there, there are companies that do focus on educating consumers and providing safer products for us all.

BodyTalk: Holistic Healing for the 21st Century

September 28, 2016 /

holistic healing courtesy freedigitalphotos.netWhen you combine the clinical findings of Applied Kinesiology, the expertise of Western medicine, the energy dynamics of acupuncture and the wisdom of modern physics and advanced mathematics, what do you get? A state of the art integrative holistic healthcare paradigm: The BodyTalk System, one of the current fastest growing complementary holistic healthcare systems in the world!

What is BodyTalk and Why is it truly holistic healing?

The BodyTalk System is a comprehensive and dynamic system of energy medicine that is constantly evolving. It unifies a large number of highly recognized healing methods and principles of knowledge into one all encompassing system. BodyTalk addresses the bodymind from a truly holistic perspective and recognizes that the physical, mental and emotional components are inseparable; hence, all levels are worked on concurrently.

The BodyTalk System does not diagnose or address diseases on a symptom level; it creates an energy balance in the body that involves the body’s own innate restorative powers. It can be used as a stand alone system to address all physical, mental and emotional health issues and can also be integrated to support any other healthcare modality to enhance its effectiveness and promote even faster healing.

Why is BodyTalk Unique?

If you think of the image of an iceberg, most of the bulk of the ice lies beneath the water’s surface. This is similar to how most of the underlying causes of diseases and illness are not immediately seen or known but are deeper than the superficial level. BodyTalk is a holistic healing system that works with a priority basis- which means rather than focusing on giving someone a diagnosis of what is “wrong”, we focus instead of what needs to be addressed first, then second, and so on. For example,  if the liver was detoxified prior to ensuring the intestines were digesting and eliminating properly, the individual may get sicker if the toxins are not being released from the body. This means the BodyTalk holistic approach can eliminate the tendency for a “healing crisis.”

Once we use neuromuscular feedback to determine the priority for today, BodyTalk uses a variety of simple techniques to restore balance in the body and mind, as well as light tapping and touch over the 3 brains (head, heart, and gut).

To summarize, BodyTalk does not diagnose and uses non-invasive techniques that cannot cause harm in accord with the priority of its inner wisdom. It is truly holistic, and is complementary to other health care modalities, with which it can be seamlessly integrated.

How Does BodyTalk Work?

Areas in the bodymind that lack communication or synchronicity are addressed with the application of practical, effective techniques to facilitate wellbeing from within. This is done in an individual manner. No two clients, even those with seemingly identical symptoms, will have the same areas that are not communicating or working as a team with the bodymind. Much like the expression: give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for life, BodyTalk facilitates the body’s ability to heal itself. Once the body’s innate restorative powers are empowered with this new enhanced communication, it is then able to more effectively heal the bodymind from within, enabling lasting patterns of good health.

If you are curious about how BodyTalk can help support holistic healing in your life, give me a call at 503-347-0258 or use the scheduler below to set up a free phone consultation.


The Body’s Amazing Self-Healing Ability

September 28, 2016 /

The human body has an amazing potential for self-healing when we supply it with the right conditions. If our stress level is kept at a reasonable level, we eat good quality, nutrient rich food, and we get good rest (among other factors), our bodies are designed to be able to keep themselves healthy and functioning well.

Think about how your body immediately begins to deal with a minor injury like when you nick your finger while chopping vegetables for dinner. Do you stop to tell your body to clot your blood or to fight off any potential infection in the area of injury? Do you think about regenerating the tissue in the area? No! And yet the body immediately goes to work self-healing and doing those things. And this happens on a larger scale than just minor cuts, bruises and scrapes- our bodies are always working to keep us healthy.

self-healing

The problem comes when our bodies get overloaded by stress and don’t have all the resources they need to resolve our health problems and self-heal. When I talk about stress, I like to use the analogy of a fuse box. When we are too stressed, it is like the fuses in our fuse box get blown and then it becomes hard for our body to continue to keep itself healthy or to heal from whatever health issues (big or small) that we might be having because our circuits are “blown”.

This is where getting support from BodyTalk can help. BodyTalk is an amazing tool to reset the body’s fuse box so that it can begin to heal. BodyTalk can also support things like improving your digestion so you absorb all the nutrients from your food more efficiently and can help you get better quality sleep too.

If you are curious about how BodyTalk can help “reset your fuses” and improve your self-healing ability, give me a call at 503-347-0258. I’d love to talk to you about what is going on with your health and how BodyTalk might be a great support for you! I don’t charge for phone consultations so give me a call today.

BodyTalk for Autoimmune Disease: Lyn on the Radio

September 5, 2016 /

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Sharon Sayler’s radio show, the Autoimmune Hour. If you didn’t get a chance to listen when the show was live, you can listen the recording here. Our talked focused on BodyTalk as an effective approach to help with autoimmune diseases.

Here’s a little overview of what Sharon and I talked about:

What happens when we allow our body’s energy systems to be re-set with healing methods such as Body Talk? In this interview, Lyn shares that your body is designed to heal itself, and together we explore the ‘bigger picture’ of health including:

  • How stored trauma and trapped emotions affect us
  • How to breathe your way to feeling better
  • How to talk to your body so it will answer you
  • How to reframe unpleasant memory or emotion

When Life Gets Rough…

September 2, 2016 /

courtesy freedigitalphotos.netToday’s post is a particularly “real” one for me. My husband and I, as well as our extended family have been in the midst of a particularly rough time. Between my aunt passing away a little over 2 weeks ago (while I was in the midst of taking my latest BodyTalk class) to my mother-in-law falling and breaking her leg last week, to some other situations that need our time and attention, I have had significant moments of overwhelm in the past month.

This post is not about the “story” of what is going on in my life, however. It is about reflecting on how we get through tough times like this.

One of the key things that I am getting a reminder of during this past month is the importance of making time for my own self-care, even in the midst of chaos and overwhelm.

As my stress level has been higher than it usually is, I have tried to carve out more time to do things like slow down and focus on my breathing. I’m also tapping Cortices (a simple technique that you can learn how to do through this link) even more than I usually do. I’ve also sought support from others- both family and friends, as well as getting support from different healing practitioners. I’m upping the number of BodyTalk sessions I’m receiving right now to help me process my grief, stress, and overwhelm. I’m tending to my body with massage and other forms of healing touch. While it can feel hard to make time for those things when I have more on my plate than I usually do, I know that without those supports, my bodymind will take too much of a beating. And just because I’m a wellness practitioner doesn’t mean that I don’t need support too!

Another big resource during times like this is to make sure to get a bit of time out in nature. Connection with the energies of the earth and breathing fresh air in beautiful settings is a key way to help stay grounded. I’m hoping to get a nice walk in outside today, rather than going to the gym and walking on the treadmill.

If you are currently going through a tough time, please know that you are not alone. And please remember to take care of yourself. Find simple strategies to help your body release stress, tension, and built up emotions. When we don’t allow the energy to have time to release, it can build up like a pent up volcano and cause all sorts of problems! Seek support (professional and social) when you need it. We all need a little help sometimes.

Also, feel free to share what strategies work best for you in the comments below this blog; I’d love to hear your strategies too!

Vlog: One of the Hardest Times in My Life

July 13, 2016 /

I’m starting to do a bit of video blogging and I wanted to share with you about how one of my toughest life experiences actually led me to where I am today. I hope it inspires you to know that even in challenges, there are positive outcomes.

Feel free to comment below on what inspired you!

Mindscape and the Power of the Mind

July 5, 2016 /

Last weekend I spent 4 days in beautiful Victoria, Canada at a Mindscape Course.

What is Mindscape, you ask?

Mindscape is a BodyTalk class (open to everyone!) that is all about using the power of your whole brain and your intuition to do things like work through limiting beliefs and fears that are holding you back, gain new insights into your career or your business, tap into your creativity, and for me, I am using it to deepen my BodyTalk sessions.

Mindscape class

Our class photo after a magical 2.5 days with Andy Spencer!

Mindscape is actually based on the same way of working that brilliant individuals like Einstein and Tesla used to test their ideas– through creating a “workshop” in their minds where they could problem solve, develop prototypes, and so much more!

Why is this so powerful?

When we are in the beta brain wave state, for most of us, our left brain dominates. This is the part of us that is focused on logic, reason, linear thinking. The left brain often doesn’t really value the creativity and the non-linear thinking of the right brain and it often doesn’t trust our intuition. You probably have experienced this when you feel something intuitively but your left brain talks you out of following your intuition- and often you regret that in the end.

When we work in our Mindscape workshops, we are going into the alpha brain wave state where we can fully access both right and left brain. The left brain is kept happy because there is a “structure” to the process and the amazing right brain can bring out all sorts of amazing creative ideas, insights, and tap more fully into our intuitive nature!

When I work this way with BodyTalk sessions, I’m able to gain information more quickly and also gain a new depth to it. My clients say they are loving it because they are tapping more into their own intuition as well and having deeper insights in their sessions.

If you are curious about this powerful 2 day class, I’m hoping to bring the amazing instructor in the picture, Andy, here next year to teach it. And unlike a lot of classes that I go to, you don’t have to be a BodyTalk practitioner to attend- this one is open to everyone! If you want to be kept in the loop, email me at lyn@heart-fire-healing.com

Epigenetics: How Our Ancestors Life Experiences Still Impact Us Today

June 7, 2016 /

If you’ve studied remember anything about biology and genetics from your school days, you probably remember hearing that we are a mix of nature and nurture.

While it was originally believed that the nature part was just the DNA and RNA that we inherited from our parents, modern research is now showing us that we can actually inherit the impact of our ancestors experiences (unresolved traumas and old belief systems) and that those influences leave markers on our DNA. This new field of scientific study is called epigenetics.

Epigenetics courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

This new field of science is called epigenetics. What epigenetics means is that when our grandparents or great grandparents (or ancestors even further back in our family line) experienced a trauma, if they didn’t fully process and resolve/release that experience, it created what we call epigenetic markers on the DNA. These markers are like little padlocks on our DNA. The padlock holds something into a configuration where something that is needed (like a gene or a protein) isn’t available, or it IS available when it should not be.

While this padlock had a purpose for the ancestor (for example, if they experienced a major food shortage, this epigenetic marker could have helped them to survive by altering their metabolism), for those who have simply inherited the marker, it can cause health problems.

One example of this is the impact of the Dutch famine in 1944-1945 creating very limited food supplies for pregnant women at that time. There was a change an epigenetic change in the fetuses DNA (the IGF2 gene) which know makes those individuals prone to obesity and cardiovascular disease. Although it hasn’t been included in the research (that I know of), it is also likely that many of the children of these individuals also have inherited this epigenetic marker.

Current scientific understanding is that 70-95% of disease is epigenetic.

These epigenetic markers can increase the likelihood that at some point we will develop diseases like cancer, immune disease, diabetes, or mental illnesses like Schizophrenia, PTSD, or late onset Alzheimer’s.

While initially this sounds like BAD news because it is something that happened before we were born, the great news is that by using BodyTalk, these epigenetic markers, these “padlocks,” can be cleared from our DNA and so that wiring for disease can be cleared away. When these markers are highlighted to the brain during a session, they can simply be cleared away. The process can work for disease that a person is already experiencing OR for diseases that haven’t made their appearance on the scene yet!

 

Are you curious about how your ancestors lives are impacting your health? Sign up for a BodyTalk session today!

 

Fire Element Season: Summer Time

June 1, 2016 /

We are approaching the summer solstice (June 21) and entering the Fire Element Season according to the system of Chinese 5 Elements. For me, the summer heat can be difficult to deal with (summer is actually my least favorite season) so I thought I would share some thoughts about how to approach managing from this 5 Elements perspective.

Fire courtesy freedigitalphotos.net

Before we dive into ways of dealing with the Fire Element, I want to just share briefly what this element represents.

The Fire Element energy is connected to the organ of the heart (hence the name of my business is Heart Fire Healing!). It is associated with the emotion of joy, which comes from having a good sense of who you are and your connection to something beyond yourself (whether for you that is God, Spirit, the Universe or something else). Joy comes from knowing who you really are on a deep level and loving yourself.

Fire Element time is about nurturing our creative energies and connecting to the abundance around us. 

The Fire Element and the heart are also connected to ALL of our emotions and it is important for our health and well-being to connect to all of our emotions, whether “positive” or “negative.” The Fire Element is also connected to love and romance.

So now that we’ve taken just a little bit of an overview of what the Fire Element represents, let’s dive into some simple strategies for keeping it from going into excess, especially during the summer heat.

  1. Bitter foods are good for the heart and the Fire Element. Try to include bitter greens like escarole, endive, spinach, kale, and Swiss chard in your diet. In addition, eating foods rich in carotenoids (red, yellow, and orange pigment) are great for the heart and the immune system.
  2. Work to reduce inflammation. Strategies to do this include avoiding inflammatory foods like sugar, fried foods, processed foods, and certain types of grains. Adding Omega-3s in your diet can also be helpful. Regular exercise and stress relieving activities (yoga, meditation, etc) are also beneficial. Making sure you are getting enough Vitamin D also helps to manage inflammation.
  3. Make sure to stay hydrated! You’ve probably heard this repeatedly but it is essential. Foods like watermelon can be both cooling and hydrating for the body and can be a great way to get in hydration if you don’t love drinking water.

I hope you found this post helpful to understand summer time from a 5 Elements perspective and that you have some simple strategies to help you keep in balancing during Fire Element time.

The Power of Slowing Down: Inspiration from Europe

May 23, 2016 /

I’m just back from an amazing honeymoon in Europe and am getting back into the swing of things. I wanted to share with you all a short video I made while there about what things about the European lifestyle inspire me (the key thing is slowing down!) and I hope will inspire you too!