A Holistic Approach to Breaking Down Scar Tissue

For so long women would apply Vitamin E to their scars and c-sections hoping to help ease the appearance. Athletes would apply Vitamin E and go through painful massages to break up the scar tissue so that it did not impact their mobility. What if there was a different way? What is a naturally produced enzyme could help us with all of this?

Serrapeptase is that enzyme! Although it is not discussed often, and rarely publicly, this enzyme has been for centuries.

See serrapeptase comes from silkworms! The silkworms release this enzyme from their gut bacteria, and this is what allows their silk cocoons to open and release the moth inside. Pretty incredible. Mother Nature is so beautiful and offers so many healing modalities if we just look.

So what does it do exactly?? Serrapeptase is an enzyme that help to break proteins down into amino acids rather quickly. This enzyme breaks down protein that many other enzymes can not break down, specifically fibrin. Fibrin is a protein that is found in scar tissue. Scar tissue is very difficult to break down, and that why athletes and many others resort to painful massage and other techniques to try and break it up.

So what precisely is this enzyme? Serrapeptase is a proteolytic systemic - meaning it breaks down proteins throughout the body and the bloodstream. Serrapeptase has also been found to decrease inflammation and strengthen the immune system. Our bodies have the ability to naturally make serrapeptase, but if you either do not make enough or your body requires extra you can take it in supplement form. This enzyme has been found to be very helpful in arthritis cases, breaking up blood clots and even breaking up scar tissue and allowing new tissue to grow - this is very helpful post injury or even after a c-section.

Keep this holistic remedy in your tool box in case you need to break down scar tissue!

• As always, I am here to educate you. I am not a Doctor, and you should always consult your Doctor or Naturopathic Physician before beginning a new regimen or supplement.

Photo By Jontel Chere

My Number One Tip for Living a Healthier Life

My number one tip for a living a healthier life…be more present.

Be more present with the foods your are consuming, eat consciously.

Be more present with the media you mindlessly consume. You can be ‘up to date’ with the happenings of the world without having the news on 24/7.

Be more present with the energy you consume. Who do you surround yourself with? How do they make you feel?

Be more present with what you choose to read. There are so many happy endings yet to be read.

Tune in to what is real.

Tune into what is happening all around you. We are constantly consuming. You have the power to choose what you consume.

What we consume ultimately determines our attitude and outlook on life.

I would encourage you to pause - to be more present starting today.

Be more present with the gifts that are right in front of you.

So many of us are so focused on scrolling through social media, unnecessarily checking our emails 100 times a day, and being up to date on everything the tv throws at us. When we give our energy to those things, we are not being present we are giving all of our energy away willingly. When we choose to live this way we are missing the incredibly beautiful gifts that are right in front of us. Put the phone down, take off your watch, turn the tv off, and look around.

Presence is a true gift for ourselves, and the ones we love most.

Photo By Jontel Chere

5 Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths

Looking for a way to unwind without the wine? I’ve got you covered!

One of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day is a nice hot epsom salt bath. This practice is incredibly healing and nourishing for my body and soul.

Epsom salts are a great addition to your typical bath routine, and can be incredibly soothing for the body. These salts help to alleviate aches and pain, perfect after a long workout or tough yoga class. Epsom salts also help to heal tired muscles and even promote recovery, sounds ideal for anyone who is active.

If you suffer from sore muscles, inflammation, sprains, stiff joints, skin irritations, or stress epsom salts bath may really help you heal and destress. I always feel more relaxed after a bath! I soften the lighting, sometimes I read or listen to music…I create an atmosphere of soothing and healing vibrations.

An added bonus…epsom salts are high in magnesium. Surprisingly, the majority of Americans are deficient in magnesium. This mineral is essential for proper functioning of the body and is vital in many energies pathways in body, epsom salts are an excellent way to boost magnesium levels in the body.

I typically add 2 cups of epsom salts to my bath, and soak for about 20 minutes.

A New Way to Help You Handle Stress

Siberian Ginseng, also called Eleuthero, has been proven to be extremely beneficial at treating adrenal fatigue and symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. With millions of individuals suffering from both of these aliments in our country alone, perhaps this is something you may need to add into your supplement cabinet.

Siberian ginseng has been shown to help them body maintain homeostasis under extreme stress. It has actually been used to improved athlete performance and overall concentration, and has been used by Olympic athletes and astronauts. Siberian Ginseng has been shown to increase mental alertness and even helps our body build muscle. Incredible!

This particular type of ginseng even helps our bodies get better deeper sleep, which is so important because that is when our bodies repair, rebuild, and detox.

Siberian Ginseng is especially important for individuals who suffer from adrenal fatigue. Common signs of adrenal fatigue are chronic fatigue, low immunity and memory issues and this type of ginseng can help combat all of those issues.

Siberian ginseng can also help combat hypothyroidism and depression by increasing the serotonin levels in our body.

From my research it seems that Siberian ginseng is very helpful and quite effective at improving adrenal fatigue. I feel that this is something many people in our country suffer from, and this would be an “easy” addition to someones diet to help get them feeling better.

Clean Beauty Interview with Dawn Conder

I am so excited to introduce you all to my friend Dawn! She is a non-toxic beauty specialist…how amazing! I love that so many people are educating themselves on the importance of non-toxic skincare, and I’m obsessed that you actually get to do this for a living. Incredible!

Dawn and I have spent a lot of time talking about the importance of living a non-toxic life and the growing movement we are seeing in our country. As a Holistic Nutrition Specialist it is so important for me to not only live a non-toxic life but also use non-toxic products. I always tell my clients that our skin is our largest organ and what we put on our skin in absorbed and carried into our bloodstream and can have a big impact on our body and our organs.

I can not wait to “introduce” you all to Dawn and have you learn more about this topic!

Hi Dawn! Can you tell us about yourself? 

Hi!! I am a Naples resident, a wife, and a crazy busy mom of two teens. Two years ago at the age of 48, I decided to become an independent business owner with Beautycounter. I love sharing how to get glowing skin with a holistic approach on my Live Clean Eat Well Instagram account. I do this through educating on living clean, eating well, keeping a positive mindset, and beauty tips.

How did you get started in the clean beauty movement?

I have a family history of cancer, and my aunt and mom both died from cancer. I was absolutely crushed when I lost my mom 4 years ago. Frankly my own health was not in the best place, at that time. I had been diagnosed with several autoimmune issues, I wasn’t active, and I was scared. I knew I needed to dig deep, and take control of my own health. So I became an certified coach for an online wellness and fitness company. I was on the right path with eating and fitness. I hadn’t really thought much about my beauty products, until my daughter had an almost anaphylactic reaction to drugstore make-up. I began a desperate search for safer products and with 100% ingredient transparency. As I hunted for non-reactive personal care and beauty products, I stumbled upon Beautycounter.

Beautycounter is a brand that not only lists every single ingredient, but also a company creating safer products by banning over 1800 chemicals of concern, and leading industry change. I loved the peace of mind that came with the brand, I loved the company mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone, but most of all I loved the results I saw with my own skin.

Why are clean beauty products so important?

Your skin is your largest organ, and the chemicals in products we apply topically are absorbed. Why is this important? Because decades of studies indicate that serious health issues (including but not limited to asthma, cancer, and infertility) are on the rise and are due in some part to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals. The issue is that there are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market today, many without  safety data.  The U.S. has not passed a major federal law governing the cosmetics industry since 1938, the FDA has no authority to remove harmful ingredients from products. Right now in the U.S., it is completely legal for companies to use toxic chemicals in the products that we put on our bodies every day, even if the ingredients are known to cause cancer or other health problems. Due to major loopholes in federal law, cosmetics can use terms like “natural”, “green”, “non-toxic”, and nearly any other word that comes to mind without containing ingredients that accurately meet those descriptions. Even products certified as organic can have as little as 10% organic ingredients, depending on the certifier. This means that we need to be our own health advocates, by becoming label readers and ingredient detectives. 

What is your favorite brand and why? 

I am a fan of Jane Iredale and Celtic Complexion. But  Beautycounter is my favorite brand of course!!! There are a lot of “clean beauty” brands out there. Some who do it well, some who don’t. Not only does Beautycounter do it very well, but with total ingredient transparency, and with a mission that goes well beyond selling face cream and lipstick. First we focus on performance, safety and innovation. We create market-leading, clean, high-performing products, proving you don’t have to compromise one to get the other. Second, we educate the public about how to avoid harmful ingredients. Finally we advocate tirelessly for more health protective laws and we take that fight all the way to Capitol Hill. A highlight for me was when I met with Senator Rubio’s aide early last year, to ask for the Senators support on the Cosmetic Reform Safety Act. The goal is to get safer beauty into the hands of everyone, and no other company is doing this right now.

Anything else we should know about clean beauty products?

Clean Beauty isn’t just for the ladies, it should be a family affair. According to a teen study conducted by the Environmental Working Group, participants reported using an average of 17 products each day. Furthermore teens may be particularly sensitive to hormone disrupting chemicals, given the complex role they play during puberty; this is a time when girls begin to start experimenting with cosmetics, perfume, and body care products. In the 1960’s the ratio of breast cancer was 1 in 20 in women, now it’s 1 in 8 women. I worry what the rates will be when the current generation of teen girls, are adults. And don’t forget about the men in your life, young and old, because they deserve products with safe ingredients as well. 

If people have questions how can they in contact with you??

People can find me on Instagram or I have beauty focused Private Facebook Group

But I also love working one on one with clients, so if anyone would like a personal consultation I can be contacted at dkconder@gmail.com

Lastly, my favorite resource for learning more about a particular product’s safety, is the Environmental Working Group. The EWG is a nonprofit, American activist group that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants, and corporate accountability. Their Healthy Living app has a catalog of products and scores them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most toxic. The app also has a barcode scan option, which is super useful when shopping in stores!

Lotus Root - a holistic remedy

Perhaps you have never heard of lotus root, but I assure you after reading this blog you are going to want to keep some on hand just in case! Lotus root has been used for many many years for treating lungs aliments such as asthma, coughing, and even tuberculosis. The lotus root helps to dissolve and eliminate mucous, which in terms helps to alleviate lung congestion. Lotus root has actually been used for centuries in countries like Japan, where it is used to balance out lung energy. Sounds so interesting, right?

The entire lotus plant from the root to the seeds and even the leaves have incredible healing properties ranging from anti-viral, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-tumor. Incredible! It has been identified that fermenting the lotus root can provide extremely therapeutic benefits. Fermented lotus root can help to heal non-alcoholic fatty liver, regulate hypoglycemia, and is high in anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories and will boost the immune system. I told you, it’s great to have on hand!

Lotus root is anti-inflammatory so it starts by decreasing inflammation in the lungs and the bronchioles, helping the individual to breathe deeper. It also helps to dilate the blood vessels that come in and out of the lungs, allowing the flow of blood to be more efficient and effective. Lotus root also helps to dissolve mucous in the lungs and respiratory system, thus making it easier for the individual to breathe deep and gets rid of lung congestion.

Due to the therapeutic benefits and medicinal properties of lotus root it is commonly used around the world to treat asthma and respiratory issues. Lotus root is packed with vitamins and minerals, particularly B-vitamins, Vitamin C, potassium, iron, copper and zinc. Lotus root is high in fiber which works to balance out the carbohydrates in the root (or other carbohydrates you eat with lotus root) and slows the digestive process of the carbohydrates, thus nota lowing or such a high glucose spike. The lotus root is best prepared as a tea or fermented.