Harry Tofts April is Autism Awareness Month and as a mother of three boys and as a holistic health practitioner, I wanted to share with you some thoughts about autism.

How big a problem is autism?

The latest statistics to come out of the CDC ( Center for Disease Control) are certainly very scary and troubling. 1 in 54 boys is now diagnosed with autism and 1 in 88 children are diagnosed autistic.

When I started my Holistic Health practice over a decade ago, those numbers were 1 in 120 children. When I was a child, they were 1 in 1000. Why?

Reasons for Increase in Autism…

In the last two decades, autism prevalence as reported in the scientific literature has increased by more than 600%.

Some of the reasons given for the dramatic increase are better reporting, better diagnostic tests meaning that more cases are picked up and advanced ages in parents. However, I don’t think this can possibly account for the totality of this dramatic increase.

Possible Causes of Autism….

Perhaps we could account for this increase by examining the possible causes of autism. Andrew Wakefield produced a very controversial research study in 1998 that suggested there was a vaccine-autism link. This study has been shown to be “flawed” by the traditional medical community. So if vaccines are not a contributing factor, then what is?

Science believes there is a strong genetic link and it has been found that if you have one autistic child, then you have a 1 in 20 chance of having a second autistic child.

The other link that is very believable to me as a homeopath, is the link between pesticides and autism.

We live on a much more toxic planet than we did 50 years ago. Since 1930, more than 75,000 synthetic chemicals have been introduced into our environment. Mothers are carrying babies with high levels of toxicity in their cells and on-going environmental exposure.

It has been shown that certain pesticides may interfere with genes involved with our central nervous system.

In total, scientists have identified about 20 genes that may be involved in autism spectrum disorder. Many have a role in brain development, brain growth and the way brain cells communicate.

How can Holistic Health assist children with Autism?

Holistic health can be invaluable in helping families dealing with autism through the use of special diets and therapies that can help to reduce physical, emotional and spiritual stress. And often the parents of autistic children benefit from therapies and nutritional help too. Holistic health does not look at any one situation in isolation. Frequently we find ourselves helping the whole family not just the person who came for help. A holistic health program incorporates the emotional and spiritual aspect of health and healing. This can be very helpful to families.

What I have observed as a practitioner is that a program that includes specific nutrients, special support for the digestive system, complex homeopathy and quantum biofeedback therapy for stress reduction is hugely helpful for autistic children.

Take a look at this video by Julie Matthews, a Nutrition Counselor who specializes in Autism Nutrition –

If you want further information, please contact me directly.

Be blessed,

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dehydration could it be killing you?
Dehydration and Death

The link between dehydration and death is well known. On average if water is withheld from a person, you can expect to die within 3 days although there are people who have been known to have survived 10 – 12 days without water. My guess is that those people were more hydrated before the withdrawal began.

But what about you – are you dehydrated?

What is less well-known is how average people like you and me are dehydrated and how we have lost touch with our internal thirst messages. We mistake messages of thirst for hunger and reach for another sugary snack when our brains, hearts and digestive systems are crying out for water.

Soda Pops and Coffee are dehydrating….

Many people are addicted to soda pops and other caffeinated drinks that create dehydration rather than hydration.
Did you know that a cup of coffee can cause the body to lose up to three cups of water? Caffeine is a stimulant that has an effect on the cardiovascular system, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This causes the renal system to have a higher volume of blood to filter resulting in a higher waste output. This is why you may have noticed that coffee will cause you to urinate more – it is a diuretic.

How much water to drink?

Our bodies are made up of approximately 60% water and every system depends on water to function.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 3 liters of water per day and that women drink 2.2 liters of water per day. The level of chronic diseases being suffered by people in America, and other Western nations would be exponentially less if people follow these guidelines.
My experience is that the average person doesn’t even drink 1/3 of this volume. Also foods high in sugar, fat, caffeine and chemical additives are extremely dehydrating. Almost all the people who have consulted me over the past decade have been dehydrated and it is a much bigger problem than most people realize.

I am sure you know you are not drinking enough water, so today is the day to change that.

What kind of water should you be drinking?

Let’s get this straight, just get drinking water, worry about the specific qualities of water as a secondary consideration. I am very keen to educate you on the different types of water and what is best for our cells but I am pragmatic – when you are not drinking enough, simple tap water is better than no water.

The points that stood out for me in this book is the connection between dehydration and stress, inflammation, allergies, hypertension, blood cholesterol and excess body weight.

The damage dehydration causes…..

When cells don’t get enough water, they become damaged and this damage lays down the foundation for many chronic conditions that only manifest themselves after years of drought. Our bodies are self-surviving mechanisms and the body will hold onto water if it is in a state of dehydration. The walls of the cells have become thickened with cholesterol in order to hold onto fluid. This is the connection between cholesterol and hypertension and dehydration. When cell walls are thick, the nutrients don’t get through easily creating a further issue of malnutrition.

When I work with a person who is overweight I start with the point that we are dealing with malnutrition and dehydration. A biofeedback assessment will determine just how stagnant a person has become. My mission is to get them back to “free flow” where all the organs, tissues and cells are flowing in the way that they were designed to flow. In doing this, all their health challenges including the weight issue will be resolved. By resolving dehydration, many emotional issues are resolved too because as the cells start to work more efficiently and the body can detox, it is ridding the body of the negative emotions stored in cell memory. The place to start when desiring to lose weight is firstly identify the fluid intake levels and then work out an eating program.

What benefits can you expect to gain by increasing your water consumption?

A Your skin will improve – water improves the elasticity of your skin. So before you spend thousands at the cosmetic surgeon or you pile on oodles of expensive skin creams, increase your water consumption.
B Your digestive system will improve dramatically. One of the key reasons for constipation is dehydration. Water carries enzymes so your food will be absorbed better when you drink sufficient water.
C You can expect to experience better sleep, greater mental clarity and greater energy.
D Your weight will stabalize
E Your taste buds will alter and you will seek out more hydrating foods as you taste for water increases.

This is the basis of the weight loss program that I am currently designing. It is a program designed to get the body flowing as it was designed to do; anyone would benefit from the program whether they consider themselves overweight or not. Each of us has a desired weight that our bodies will hold when in balance.

So, let’s get drinking more water – starting today!

I am offering a Free 15 minute  Consult to discuss your specific questions regarding this subject. Call me on 425.999.0201 and I will gladly guide you on your optimal health journey!
Most people’s body’s are crying out for water and an incredible book was written some time ago that is a classic called Your Body’s Many Cries for Water”by the late Dr Batmanghelidj.

May your Healthy Cells Lead You to Freedom!   Next time I will share with you an even more important message – getting the water to cross the cell wall, enter your cells and improve cell-to-cell communication.

Are you drinking enough water?

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Holistic health benefits of Champagne and ChocolateHappy St Valentine’s Day to you! Today is the day when loved ones all over the world will eat lots of chocolate and share champagne in celebration of their love!

So can you do this guilt-free knowing that what you are eating and drinking is actually good for your holistic health as well as fun?

Let’s start with the champagne

Real champagne is made from red and white wine grapes. Champagne is made from a mixture of two black grape varieties, pinot noir and pinot meunier, and one white grape variety, chardonnay.

Now, I am sure that you have heard before that red wine in moderation is good for you? Why would this be?
Red wine is made from red grapes. The skins and seeds of red grapes carry polyphenol antioxidants. When red wine is made, the skins and seeds are fermented in the grapes’ juices, causing red wine to have high levels of these antioxidants. These antioxidants have become famous for their ability to protect us against heart disease.

Research undertaken at Reading University in England has shown that two glasses of Champagne contains the same antioxidant polyphenols as red wine and therefore can be good for you!

What do these Polyphenols do?

These antioxidant polyphenols reduce the effects of cell-damaging free radicals within the body. They slow the release of nitric oxide from the blood. This can have stroke-reducing capabilities. The research actually found that drinking champagne daily can improve arterial function. Now I am not suggesting that you drink champagne daily. These health benefits have been shown when you drink a couple of glasses daily.

However, what this research suggests is that a couple of glasses on St Valentine’s day will not harm you and could even help you!
I am sure that most people enjoying a couple of glasses of champagne tonight will not be thinking of the health benefits but it is fun to know anyway! Champagne is a fun bubbly drink that is associated with celebration. Oh and I love that it doesn’t stain our teeth like red wine does!

What about chocolate?

Well chocolate is made from cocoa beans and the percentage of cocoa in your chocolate affects these findings. I highly recommend that you eat dark chocolate which ought to contain a minimum of 64% cocoa. Cocoa contains the same antioxidant polyphenols as red grapes.

In conclusion…..

So together, a couple of glasses of champagne and a few dark champagne truffles can actually fight cell-damaging free radicals as well as bring fun, happiness and joy to your occasion!

Will you be eating chocolate and drinking champagne with your loved one?

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Cellular Cleansing‘ The more nourishment you give to a person who has not been purged, the more harm you do.’      Hippocrates.

What Hippocrates was saying here is that feeding a dirty vessel is a waste of time. The term Garbage in Garbage out is a great analogy except that when our cleansing systems are not functioning well the garbage in doesn’t have any place to go – it stays inside our cells literally poisoning us!

Providing the internal environment for natural and remarkable healing is vital to your good health. When considering your health and how to increase your cellular energy, the place to start is improving the condition of your internal environment.

All life begins and ends at a cellular level. So therefore whatever we do at a cellular level makes an immediate difference to our health!

In simple terms, without specific cleansing processes we create our own poison. Oxygen is actually toxic to biological molecules and cells. If this process is not controlled in order to allow positive respiration to occur, then we are in trouble and the cell will die. So we need to have a defense mechanism in place to take care of the creation of free radicals. The body being the perfect miracle that it is has just the defense mechanism – creation of antioxidant molecules that protect the cell and ensure the activation of cellular respiration.

So what are the key elements that make a difference to the ability of your cells to cleanse?

Water

Water carries waste products away from our cells to be removed from our body. Therefore hydration is a critical component of the cellular cleansing process. Most of us are dehydrated and it is important to learn about the healing power of water and what water you should be drinking. Look out for my forthcoming article explaining how water can alter your internal environment and dramatically improve your health.

Enzymes

Detoxifying enzymes are produced by parts of the body such as the liver to break down drugs and toxins in order to remove these dangers from us. However, enzymes don’t function on their own. They are triggered by antioxidants that switch on these detoxifying enzymes.

The Role of Antioxidants

Lack of enough antioxidant molecules leads to oxidative stress and this is a key cause of cellular disease and degeneration. With today’s toxic exposure via environment, food and emotional trauma, we do not create sufficient antioxidant molecules. The result is that free radicals ravage the body’s macromolecules proteins, fats, and DNA/RNA (nucleic acids). However, there is another biological process that switches on the antioxidant process – redox signaling molecules!

Role of Redox Signaling Molecules

We are not creating enough redox signaling molecules responsible for igniting the antioxidant process in our bodies. When cells and tissues are damaged, by everyday living (sunlight, toxins, cuts, scrapes, exercise, infections, radiation etc.) they send out redox signaling messages for help. This starts a cascade of messengers that are quickly spread throughout the affected area where they call for action to start the healing process (blood supply is redirected, native antioxidants empowered and increased, DNA repair elicited, immune response initiated, inflammation, cell communication enhanced, regeneration efforts started, etc.). The healing process is a well orchestrated effort to either repair the damaged cells or cause cells to die and be replaced by healthy ones and thus restore healthy cells and tissue.

As you can see, detoxification and cleansing is wrapped up with cellular repair and rebuild! Our bodies are a miracle with simultaneous processes working every second. The statement “you are what you eat” should be replaced by “you are what you cleanse” in my opinion.

For a more detailed report on cellular wellness, pick up your copy of my new FREE e-book “The Seven Keys to Cellular Wellness” available when you sign up on the email opt-in form. If you are already on my list, I will be making the download available to my current subscribers. This gives you a more in depth view of the healing miracle of you. No matter where you are on the continuum of health, you can always ignite the miracle within you.

 

I look forward to hearing your comments below!

Blessings,

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Holistic health energy

Strategies for Optimal Cellular Health

I hope you are all having a fantastic January! I wanted to share my plan for my blogs with you for 2012 and finally bringing clarity to what was really a very confusing situation!

In the latter part of last year, I moved this blog, ClareKelway.com into health and healing. This is absolutely where it belongs! My heart is passionate about helping you with your health and teaching you preventative strategies to maintain optimal health.

In October 2011, I gained my US certifications necessary to practice as a holistic health practitioner here and I am very excited about plans for my health consulting business and this blog in 2012. (I practiced alternative medicine in London, UK for nine years before moving to the US).


CKSocialMedia.com

Along with my passion for health and healing, I remain a business consultant to small and medium sized companies on web-design, implementation, social media optimization and online marketing. This part of my career is expanding rapidly as I have found my consulting experience combined with my social media experience a helpful combination for companies working out how to exponentially grow their businesses online. I teach them how to create a loyal community in their niche and how to mix outbound marketing with inbound marketing strategies. My role is closely aligned to a business project manager. I put together a solution that works for a particular business and then I work with technical web and social media gurus to implement the plan. Along the way, I have discovered it is confusing for my current and future business consulting clients to find me online as a health expert when they are consulting me on web projects and social media strategy!

So with this in mind, I have decided to build a web-site dedicated to small business consulting and removing the mystique associated with social media and e-commerce. This web-site is called
CK Social Media.

It is currently in the process of being built with the help of one of my online partners, Jupiter Jim (Jim Landers).

Perhaps there will be an intersection between the businesses when I help therapists and health practitioners run a social media optimized practice!


ClareKelway.com

So back to ClareKelway.com and you my readers – what to expect on this blog this year?

The theme I have chosen to run on this year is CELLULAR ENERGY! We can never have enough and most of us struggle feeling tired and exhausted so I plan to focus on all the reasons why we don’t have enough energy and how to dramatically improve your cellular energy!

I will be writing about topics that relate to improving the energy flow through your cells. I suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome 15 years ago and although I don’t display any outward symptoms, I have learned to manage my life. It has been a consistent learning curve through many health modalities and therapies for me to find the optimal answer to my health. I have learned how to maintain and keep my energy flowing. It is my personal journey back to health and the opportunities I now have in my life that drive me to continue to help you with your health.

Some of the topics I will be covering include: heavy metal poisoning, water dehydration, mineral imbalances, children’s energy challenges, and adrenal insufficiency. I will be bringing many solutions to common problems of “tired”. It is so sad to me that millions of people push themselves through the day exhausted. If only everyone knew what they could do to improve their energy? One solution does not fit all but many of the ideas that I will share with you are applicable to everyone. They work in a holistic way.

Your suggestions…..

I look forward to hearing your suggestions of what you might like me to cover and I will be sure to add it to my publishing list. I am also looking for products that I can offer here on this web-site. So if you know of a wonderful health product, let me know. Please no Network Marketing products – I already distribute what I believe is the most valuable product on the planet via network marketing and I am committed to not offering any other products that are distributed in this manner. However, I am seeking to distribute other health products if you have any that I may offer to my community.

Be blessed always,

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