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It has taken me almost 8 years to find one…and now I have found her! Holistic physician, chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, and naturopath, Dr. Gabrielle Francis is a “one and only”. Currently I see her monthly for massage, acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments. She is truly talented and extremely effective in her sessions.

Chiropractic practice is known for its controversy. Through its history, it’s been named quakery, mystical and known for fraud in the healthcare profession. Health care industry say that chiropractic adjustments and spinal manipulations may cause disability, death, or major complications to the spine. There are several chiropractors that hold water to these accusations. Some snap and crack your joints in less than 5 minutes without any preparation. Some lay 7-10 patients on beds lined up in a small room and hardly touch you but say that their energy is adjusting your spine from within. I’ve experience both and will say that these doctors commit a crime. Charging over $200 per session for 15 minutes of your time while possibly causing misalignment and more pain in your body.

It’s a pretty scary line to walk on – entrusting your body in someone’s hands, knowing that they have the opportunity to change it for the the good or bad. It’s just like working with a fitness trainer or body work specialist. You have hopes that you will be safe and they’re not going to injure you or put your body in a state of pain or disability. At least with a trainer or massage therapist, you will feel discomfort and make a choice to not continue. But with a chiropractor, your body lies in their hands (literally) before they twist and pop you.

When you exercise, you want your body to move in full range of motion. When it’s limited, your muscles will grab on your bones and joints, begin to pull in other areas and compensation occurs. So before you begin any exercise, you want to make sure your body is warm and your muscles are stretched and released. Dr. Francis begins her sessions by checking my alignment, she then props my hips up on wedges and waits until they set in proper alignment (my pelvis is a bit torqued from an old injury) . She then works on tight muscles in my glutes, back, trapezius with massage to warm and prep my body for her adjustments.

Adjustments, when done properly, can reset your body’s alignment. Let’s use an example we all do daily: sitting at the computer in poor posture. Most desks are not set up ergonomically so the most common posture would be a protracted head (image below).

In this posture, known as cervical kyphosis, your cervical spine is overloaded forcing your upper back and neck muscles to work so much harder than they should. Your spine begins to mold itself into this position. The forward weight of your head compresses the nerves in the base of your skull into your upper spine causing headaches, respiratory issues and possibly leading to psychological and mental disorders. Who would have thought sitting at a desk can create these health issues?

In correcting this, setting up your desk is the first step to avoid having to poke your head forward to look at the screen. The next step is awareness and trying to retract your head (give yourself a double chin) which relaxes the neck muscles and straightens out your spine. Consistent stretching of your neck and upper back muscles help to release tension and bring your head back to alignment. Chiropractic adjustments will help to fast forward the reversal of this posture.

I’ve been spending more time in front of my computer so I was beginning to develop slight cervical kyphosis. Dr. Francis would massage all the tight muscles in my traps, up my neck and all the way to the base of my skull to prep for a neck adjustment. This particular adjustment unnerves me and she knows this. One wrong move can misalign your spine and create all sorts of issues from disability to possible death. She relaxes me with breathing queues and assures me with full explanation of how she is setting my body up so that her adjustment will release only needs to and with minimal force. Once it’s done, it is the most relaxing feeling. I automatically breathe better and feel this openness in my neck. A symphony of cracks (nitrogen released in the joints) occur and we can all agree that that sound is release alone. She proceeds through my body and when I finally stand up, it’s a whole new me.

She informs me that I’m now moving in a different posture. So taking time in this new posture is important and not doing anything that will disrupt it’s adaptation to new placement is key. She sends me on my way with a neck traction block so I can do my homework until my next visit with her.

Dr. Francis’ holistic approach in medicine runs parallel with my beliefs and I can’t wait to explore all the ways she will teach me about the healing power of nature and how to work in harmony with my body. Her 17 years of medical education has taken her worldwide and back to NYC offering a unique approach to medicine and healing.

* I’m proud to have Dr. Gabrielle Francis a part of my Community.
Please visit her site at The Herban Alchemist.

Four of my students and I recently completed Dr. Frank Lipman’s Cleanse, a 2 week detox program that resets and recharges your system. It’s my 4th time completing Cleanse and I just can’t say enough. I absolutely stand behind this product and love it!

I’ve tried several other cleanses (Master Cleanse, BluePrint Cleanse, Cooler Cleanse) and I’m just not up for starving, suffering, and dreaming about when I can put a solid piece of food in my mouth. For someone who is physically active and relies on being alert and energetic, juice cleanses just don’t cut it. Most juice cleanses can deprive your body of essential vitamins and nutrients. Yes, your body will get more than enough of your daily fruit and vegetable intake but what about your fat and protein? Without protein, your body can’t build or rebuild muscle. A lack of fat doesn’t allow your body to function properly or absorb the necessary fat soluble vitamins that help to keep your skin and hair healthy. Plus juice cleanses will leave you lethargic, sluggish, and pretty much useless for the duration. It’s just not healthy especially for New Yorkers that require focus and strength to make it through the day.

This is the main reason I love Cleanse. A strict but very realistic diet is built around a 3 shake a day program. The diet consists of foods that are gluten, dairy, processed sugar, alcohol and caffeine FREE. There are some foods that are acidic (tomatoes, oranges, pineapples) and high in sugar (grapes, strawberries) that are to avoid as these foods would disrupt the cleansing process your gut goes through. But overall you can eat delicious meals using the cleanest foods and still flush and detox your system. Digestive enzymes are taken after lunch and dinner which help to break down those solids. Snacks are allowed through out the day and glutamine pills are there should you crash sugar withdrawal. What is better than that?

The first week is tough since your body is going through withdrawals and pretty much adapting to a new eating routine. But second week is the break through. Your energy level kicks in first thing in the am and lasts all day, your skin glows, you feel lighter (more than likely you’ve lost a few pounds), and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment is what rides you out till the end. Of course, there will be times when you want to cheat but it really boils down to your will power and how determined you are to stick through it. Besides it is only 2 weeks of your life.

Most of my clients have done the Cleanse before and love it. Most have lost anywhere from 5-8lbs and a few have lost 10-15lbs. But it’s not about the weight loss. It’s about learning a new way to eat. Through the Cleanse diet, your awareness to food and what really makes up the food we put in our mouths is invaluable. Your grocery shopping experience is never the same. The more you understand the Cleanse and what it does for your system, the more you will want to do it, eventually you will only want to put the cleanest foods in your body. It’s a chain reaction that is simply good for you.

I plan on doing it again before my brother’s wedding and again for my wedding (YAY!). I may not have that much to cleanse since my diet is pretty clean (90% of the time) but it’s still a great way for me to reset. So ask yourself…

Are you dragging through your day? Do you look in the mirror and feel drab? Is your belly always bloated or achey after meals? Have you gotten sick more than 3x this season or have chronic allergies or aches in your body? Do you want to shed those last few pounds that you just can’t work off? If you answer yes to most, then this Cleanse is exactly what you need. If it makes you feel and look good…then why not?

*I’m proud to have Dr. Lipman a part of my Community.

Check out his site at Be Well by Dr. Frank Lipman.

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