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The Role of Diet in Chronic Inflammation & Pain

12/15/2021

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I haven't had any white sugar in over a year. People tend to respond with shock and/or disbelief, and will say things like, "I couldn't do that," or "Wow. You really have willpower," or "That's amazing!" The long and short of it is that sugar makes me feel really bad. I wish it didn't. I wish I could indulge occasionally and have it be okay, but time after time my body shows me that it's just not for me. I even have to limit the alternatives that I am able to tolerate: coconut sugar, agave, honey, and very occasional maple syrup. If I feel a rush or have a crash, I know it was too much. 

I have a slew of chronic health issues, most stemming from a mild traumatic brain injury I sustained a decade ago, and I have had to learn through trial and error what works for me and what doesn't. When I started researching to try and gain an understanding of what was happening to me, I learned that inflammation was likely at the root of most of it. 

This article from Nature explains:

"Although intermittent increases in inflammation are critical for survival during physical injury and infection, recent research has revealed that certain social, environmental and lifestyle factors can promote systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) that can, in turn, lead to several diseases that collectively represent the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders. In the present Perspective we describe the multi-level mechanisms underlying SCI and several risk factors that promote this health-damaging phenotype, including infections, physical inactivity, poor diet, environmental and industrial toxicants and psychological stress."

It was really fascinating to learn about, because as I moved out of the acute injury phase, one way that I described what was happening was that I felt stuck in fight or flight, and also, "It's like my whole body went haywire." Super technical terms, I know, but as it turns out, my whole body really DID go haywire.

Early on I figured out that gluten was very inflammatory for me, and eliminating it from my diet had a huge positive impact. I also discovered which foods were causing allergic reactions and eliminated those as well. A lot of the experts say that dairy is inflammatory for everyone. I have found that organic, full fat dairy in moderation is okay for me. However, I can't tolerate soy. Every body is different! Even though at the time I didn't have this excellent advice from Dr. Mark Hyman, this is essentially what I did: 
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A post shared by Mark Hyman, M.D. (@drmarkhyman)

The holidays are a difficult time for needing to be on a specialized diet, whether that's due to allergies, inflammation, preference, or other reasons. Over the years after letting go of the foods that are inflammatory for me, I've had to learn how to adapt. That often means I'm making and bringing my own food to gatherings, but over time I've gotten used to it, and I really have fun experimenting with making new versions of well-loved treats. I've had success creating an alternative recipe for my favorite ginger molasses cookies, and my next experiment is going to be homemade eggnog, as that is something that I definitely miss this time of year.

What works for me is not going to work for everyone. Health is a very individual experience. However, if you are dealing with chronic health issues, taking a close look at diet, limiting or eliminating inflammatory foods, and optimizing your nutrition as you're able can really help overall health. From there you can adapt traditions or create new ones! 

Learn more about anti-inflammatory foods from Harvard Health. 

In addition to diet changes, having access to our detoxifying and vagus nerve activating modalities (particularly NeurOptimal® and the infrared sauna) here at the Denver Recovery Lounge has also been key for me in attaining an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. I continue to see improvements and feel better and better each day!​
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A post shared by Beth Leyba (@bethleybawriter)

By Beth Leyba
Recovery Lounge Technician

Happy Healthy Holidays! 

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The Many Benefits of Infrared Sauna Use

11/24/2021

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We've had quite the stretch of warm fall weather here in Denver, but it's finally cooling down! Getting nice and toasty during the colder months is far from the only benefit of infrared sauna use, though. We go over many of the benefits on our website, including detoxification, pain relief, weight loss, wound healing, and more, but are excited to see emerging research on infrared sauna use in helping to relieve depression and boosting immunity. 

We are proud to offer a Sunlighten mPulse 3-person Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna at Denver Recovery Lounge. Sunlighten is the only patented Solocarbon 3-in-1® full spectrum infrared sauna on the market that provides all three infrared wavelengths in one place and is customizable to each user. 

Sunlighten explains in detail the mechanisms of How Infrared Saunas Can Boost Your Immune System During Cold and Flu Season on their blog, with the following conclusion:

“To maximize the synergistic immune-boosting benefits of infrared sauna, use full-spectrum infrared therapy. The near-infrared spectrum can stimulate immune cell growth and activity by stimulating your mitochondria. The mid-infrared spectrum penetrates deep into your tissues, ensuring that you benefit from the immune-stimulating effects of heat throughout your body and improving your sleep. Lastly, the far-infrared spectrum possesses great healing and anti-stress benefits.”

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A post shared by Sunlighten (@sunlightensaunas)

They have even more great info in another blog post, Immune System Hacks: Hormesis, Heat Shock Proteins, and Hyperthermia: 

“Hormesis is the idea that the body needs to know how to adapt to extremes, like extreme heat or extreme cold, to be as resilient as we need it to be to fight off colds, flu, and other viruses and infections.” 

Finally, in a third excellent and informative post, Sunlighten discusses How Infrared & Heat Help Relieve Depression. They cover all the emerging science on heat as a standalone or complimentary therapy in improving mental health. It’s all absolutely fascinating, so be sure to check it out.

Drop in for 15 minutes complimentary sauna before or after visits with our practitioners. We're excited to announce we've added two practitioners to our team  - MiraClaire, CMT offering Lymphatic Drainage & Therapeutic Massage and MirIam Chernila offering Integrated Thai Massage. Learn more about their offerings HERE. Now through the end of the year, use Discount Code MCINTRO when you book a massage for $20 off your first visit. 

If you are ready to give regular infrared sauna use a try, we highly recommend our Thrive Membership, which includes unlimited sauna and iMRS PEMF Therapy mat. It pays for itself after just two hours! 

Remember, you can add a friend or family member to your sauna visit for only $5.​​

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Supporting a Dear Friend & Colleague

10/8/2021

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I first met Jessica Chernila in the early 2000s when her father Lenny Chernila was hosting a weekly Open Mic at the Mercury Cafe. This was a very special time in my life and I fell in love with her family at that time. I was inspired and was nourished to witness this intergenerational family spirit of her bringing her young son to community poetry events and sharing this art of expression as a family. 

Fast forward 10 years and I was delighted to reconnect in 2019 when her daughter and mine started training Karate together at Enshin Karate. She would teach Yin Yoga & QiGong at the dojo and we would train alongside our children in this unique intergenerational community, and again, I was inspired by her as a fellow single-mama. 

In 2020 she joined our team at the Denver Recovery Lounge, offering massage therapy in combination with our Infrared Sauna & foot detox. We begin dreaming about sharing her daily QiGong health and immunity routine with the community. In mid-2021 she was diagnosed with Lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy. 

At every step of the process she is such a shining light and beacon of health, modeling self-care and wellness and leadership in how to harmonize western and holistic health into a comprehensive approach to wellness. During this time, we are excited to support her both with services in the Recovery Lounge to help revitalize her organs and detox after each round of chemo, and through raising funds to support her family while she rests & regains strength. 

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A post shared by Jessica Chernila (@jessica_chernila)

Last week, we hosted a beautiful Open Mic Benefit that was nurturing medicine for all who attended to be together in community, celebrating & supporting her life. During the month of October, we are donating 50% of the first month of all new memberships to a fundraiser to support her family. You can donate directly HERE. Please help us uplift and support a beacon of strength who embodies the essence of health in all of her endeavors. 
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We are excited to see her step into her role as Health & Wellness coach on the other side of this cancer practicum of applied health & healing. 

Jes shared some of her reflections on how modalities at  Denver Recovery Lounge are supporting her healing journey in the video on the left.


Here is some information on the use of PEMF therapy complementary to cancer treatment. From Dr. Pawluk, Medical Authority on Magnetic Field Therapy - 

"There's evidence to suggest that PEMF may actually oxygenate the blood, enhance the production and function of healthy red blood cells, and facilitate the repair of damaged red blood cells, thus potentially offsetting some of the damaging side effects of chemotherapy. PEMF combines readily with other types of cancer therapy. PEMF can be added to most if not all cancer therapy plans. Given that PEMF is safe, non-invasive, and non-toxic, there's little no risk of an unfortunate interaction with any other therapy or treatment the patient is receiving."

And from a 2016 paper titled "Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in oncology" -


"In conclusion, only two clinical studies have used PEMF therapy for cancer treatment. These studies show that PEMF therapy is safe and promising compared to other available cancer therapies. In the future, PEMFs could be used not only as primary therapy but also in combination with other common antineoplastic therapies. Given that new portable and affordable PEMF devices are increasingly available on the market, future controlled clinical studies are expected to further determine the potential of PEMF therapy in oncology."
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A post shared by Jessica Chernila (@jessica_chernila)


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    Amanda Glenn

    Mother, Writer, Poet, Healer, Martial Artist, & Health Ninja

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