Nutrition for Better Behavior in Children and Teens

Written by Andrew Kistner on June 19, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, Informational, Nutrition.

Food choices influence behavior, mood, and academic performance. Summer is a great time to establish healthy eating habits which can lead to a happier vacation season and more productive school year.

It is important for children to know what to eat, what not to eat, and why some foods that seem healthy may not be healthy. While consumption of sugary foods has long been associated with hyperactivity, we now know that food selection also contributes to a child’s ability to focus attention, inhibit impulsive behaviors, analyze information, regulate emotional responses, and solve problems.

Food is one of the most important gifts we give our bodies. Choosing well is empowering and makes the body a healing machine. When parents facilitate healthy eating, they equip children with the knowledge and skills needed to create a foundation of optimal health.

Eliminating Foods that Cause Bad Behavior and Adversely Affect Mood

Studies suggest that certain ingredients, particularly those found in processed foods, are triggering behavioral problems in children. With 90% of the average American’s food budget going towards processed foods and the astounding spike in behavioral and mood disorders, changing the diet is the logical first step to addressing problem behaviors.

Artificial Colors

Over the past 50 years, chemical dyes in foods increased 500%. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6) make up 90% of the market. These dyes are found in cereal, toothpaste, applesauce, cough syrup, candy, ice cream, drinks, and more. Food color consumption can lead to meltdowns, aggression, and mood swings. Studies dating to the seventies show that removing dyes from a child’s diet has a profound effect. Read labels and remove all foods and drinks that contain artificial colors and flavors.

Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame has been linked to an array of emotional and behavioral disorders. High levels of aspartame can alter serotonin levels, which can lead to behavioral problems, anxiety, and other emotional disorders.

MSG

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is an excitotoxin, a type of neurotoxin that over-stimulates brain cells. It has profound effects on the mood and behavior. MSG is found in most fast foods as well as processed meats, frozen meals, soup mixes, salad dressings, and many other processed foods. MSG may appear on ingredient labels as hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast, or sodium caseinate.

Gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. Gluten tends to be poorly digested in the gut, causing an inflammatory response that influences brain function. Gluten breaks down into peptides that can pass through imperfections in damaged intestinal tracts (leaky guts) and affect the brain. The shape of gliadinomorphin (the peptide resulting from the breakdown of gluten) fits into receptors in the brain that trigger abnormal moods and behaviors. These receptors are referred to as opiate receptors because they are the same receptors that interact with opioids like morphine.

Eating for Better Behavior and Brain Balance

There is no one diet that is best for everyone, but a real-food, nutrient-dense paleo diet is an excellent place to start to ensure kids get the right nutrition. Children and teens need to eat plenty of vegetables, clean protein, healthy fat, and some fruit for optimal brain health.

Breakfast

A breakfast that includes protein, fat, and vegetables is the ideal way to start the day for most children. An excellent option is a scramble or omelet made with eggs from pasture-raised chickens and lots of vegetables (i.e., onions, artichokes, and spinach) and half an avocado. Children who eat a high-protein breakfast are less likely to be overweight, achieve better test scores, and perform better athletically. Conversely, a high-carbohydrate breakfast (pancakes, cereals, French Toast) makes the child feel mentally foggy and can lead to undesirable behavior soon after as sugar levels soar, then crash.

Lunch and Dinner

The bounty of the growing season offers plenty of opportunities for discovering new foods and new ways of eating familiar items. Take children shopping at the Farmers’ Market. Encourage them to pick a new fruit or vegetable to try. Grow vegetables or herbs in your garden or on your windowsill. Incorporate the fresh vegetables you buy into salads and stir-fries, or simply rinse and eat.

When you plan meals, aim to make 75% of the plate vegetables. If necessary, sneak veggies into foods. Chopped spinach or kale can be mixed into meatballs or meatloaf. Soups prepared with homemade bone broth make excellent lunches and dinners.

Healthy Snack Ideas

We can make fruit and vegetables more desirable to children with a little preparation.

Cut celery, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, peppers (and any other vegetable) into sticks or slices and serve with a creamy dip. It is easy to prepare one at home by mixing 1/2 cup mayo (choose one made with avocado oil) + 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (it won’t taste like coconut) + salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and herbs of choice.
Apples slices are extra-yummy with a bit of almond butter or sunflower seed butter. And the fat and protein are good for the brain and body.
Puree berries with a bit of 100% maple syrup and pour into popsicle molds. Freeze and serve healthy frozen treats. Full-fat coconut milk may be added for a creamy treat.
Cut melon into wedges or cubes.
Freeze grapes or berries for a change of texture.

After changing diet, improvements (often dramatic) in physical and psychological health result. Start where you are, and eliminate an unhealthy food or ingredient each week. At the same time, add vegetables to every meal, incorporate healthy snacks, and continue to add new foods. Enjoy the journey!

Soaring Butterfly

Written by Blake Powell on June 14, 2019. Posted in All News, All Posts, Events, News.

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Jessica Watts joined the The Oxford Center team in September 2018 as an ABA Technician. Jess is a very talented technician who is always willing to help out other technicians with their assigned child. She always goes above and beyond and is willing to help out wherever she can. Her silly personality spreads giggles and smiles to our patients and their families. She always takes on any challenge and is always positive. If you’re ever in need of a pick me up, spend some time with this ray of sunshine and your day will surely change for the better. You will find her lifting the whole ABA team up, and often she is the reason that they get through the day.

The Oxford Center’s Soaring Butterfly Award is given in recognition of an employee’s commitment to excellence, team effort, and exemplifying our core values.

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Quinten and Michelle’s Testimonial

Written by Blake Powell on June 14, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Autism/ABA Therapy, Blog Posts, Personal Stories.

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After a short three days of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Quentin started showing improvements. He was starting to engage with the family, and he looked forward to going to therapy. I knew he was in the right place.

Having a child with autism can be very overwhelming. When your child won’t look you in the eye, or has violent behavior, there has to be something that can be done. I, a single mom of three, have dealt with this with my own child.

There are many things that doctors will tell you to try when treating a child with autism. As a parent, it is hard to choose which therapies or methods to try. I thought, how do I help him? I wanted to stick to evidence-based medicine. I tried many different things, including an at-home ABA program. It is hard hearing your child cry and not knowing what to do and if you should keep going because you are doing what you believe is best. The at-home ABA did not help Quinten much, and he wasn’t progressing. If anything, it added stress for all of us.

After the at-home ABA did not work, I decided to try a center-based ABA program. We also added physical, occupational, and speech therapies. We were going all over the place. We needed a manager to handle the logistics of it. For a single mom, working full-time and taking care of two other kids, the house and everything else, it was a lot.

A majority of the therapies that are offered are not covered by insurance. As a mom, the hardest thing is having to choose between a therapy for your child and putting food on the table.

At this point, Quinten was starting to become aggressive, and I was afraid that my child was going to end up in a bad place. You just keep thinking: there has to be something more. What else can I do?

I heard of oxygen therapy right when Quinten was diagnosed and did a lot of reading. As a parent who has tried multiple different therapies, I thought ‘It is not proven medicine. Will it even work?’ Then I went to The Oxford Center and scheduled a free Discovery Session. After talking through the options, I decided to pursue the therapies for Quinten. I was so excited to give my son one more shot at life, one more opportunity to get on a new trajectory. Even though I thought: maybe this will work, maybe it won’t, I want to give him every opportunity.

After starting Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and ABA at Oxford, I started seeing changes in Quinten. I was blown away. The third day of the therapies, Quinten got home, took me by the hand, and led me to the bathroom. He was four years old and potty training himself. I was floored by it. Previously, I’d thought my son was going to be one of those kids in fifth grade still wearing diapers.

One day, we were walking down the hallway, and I looked back to tell him ‘come on.’ Quinten looked up at me like “Are you there mom?” This was the first time he had ever looked at me like this. It was the way he looked at me, needing reassurance that I was by his side. This was the day that I knew that the HBOT was helping. He started to look me in the eyes. He would actually look at me like “You’re my mom.”

After continuously doing the therapies, Quentin has started to verbalize and make even more eye contact. I can’t thank the team at The Oxford Center enough for being so caring, for doing so much for my son. He loves going to Oxford and we are seeing results.

Before starting the therapies, he used to come home and isolate himself from the family. He doesn’t isolate at all anymore. He plays, socially. It is night and day. I feel real hope for my son and his future. That is priceless. Without hope, you don’t have much. I know that my son is in the right place, and I haven’t felt that way since the diagnosis.

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Vince’s Concussion Story

Written by Andrew Kistner on May 17, 2019. Posted in All Posts, HBOT/Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Specific Therapies.

Vince, a 38-year-old dad from Northville, has faced the challenging consequences of two concussions. Both incidents significantly impacted his ability to carry out daily tasks. Vince’s journey to recovery began in May 2017, shortly after his first concussion, sustained during a hockey game. Just over a week after the injury, he realized the symptoms were too severe to ignore. Struggling with dizziness, fogginess, and slow thought processes, Vince recalled hearing about The Oxford Center’s hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the radio. Desperate for relief, he decided to give it a try, hoping it would help his brain heal.

His decision proved to be life-changing. The hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilitated his recovery, allowing him to resume his normal life. However, 14 months later, Vince experienced a second concussion while riding a jet ski. This time, the injury was more severe and required a greater number of hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

Reflecting on his second concussion, Vince says, “I wish I would have taken it more seriously the first time.” The symptoms, including difficulty speaking and processing thoughts, were debilitating. “I couldn’t talk very well. I couldn’t get a thought out. I would process things in my head, but then they wouldn’t reach my lips. I felt lazy and unable to function.”

After his first concussion, Vince initially went to the hospital but was sent home with a diagnosis of dehydration and no mention of a concussion. This experience deterred him from seeking hospital care after his second injury. Instead, he turned to The Oxford Center on his own initiative, understanding the critical need for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. “Most doctors don’t know about it or would use it for other injuries or illnesses, not concussions. The studies show it works wonderfully for head injuries, perhaps better than anything else. The brain needs oxygen,” Vince explains.

The second concussion, which occurred in July 2018, had a long-lasting impact. “I didn’t feel like myself until December 2018 or January 2019. It takes a long time to recover.”

Concussions are not just Vince’s story; they are a common concern. Vince recounts an incident involving his daughter, who was hit in the forehead with a baseball bat. Despite receiving staples and painkillers at the emergency room, the possibility of a concussion was downplayed. Recognizing the signs, Vince brought her to The Oxford Center the next morning. “She was knocked out, there was clearly something not right. It took about 20 treatments to get her healthy and back to normal.”

Vince continues to visit The Oxford Center for maintenance treatments to ensure his ongoing health. “The people are great. All the techs in the chamber room are wonderful, and everyone really is around here. It is a very calming environment, and when I go there, I love to just relax. It’s kinda like the relaxation time for the day.” Vince credits The Oxford Center with his complete healing. “Without it, I would just continue to struggle. It gives your body what it needs to completely heal itself.”

Today, Vince enjoys playing baseball with his son and chasing his daughter on her bike, treasuring those happy moments. His final advice is clear: “Take concussions very seriously. They are not something to joke around about. I mean, I can’t even watch college football in the fall anymore. Seeing these crushing blows and wondering, ‘Did that guy just get a concussion?’ They just keep going, week after week. You have to make sure that you get healed before you go back out there and do it again.”

Vince’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of proper concussion treatment and the life-changing benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy at The Oxford Center.

HBOT Helps This Mom with MS and Lyme

Written by Blake Powell on April 17, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, HBOT/Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Informational, Personal Stories, Specific Conditions.

Jennifer is a 45-year-old wife and mother who lives in Howell. She is stay-at-home mom of two active children as well as a freelance writer and editor. However, life took a turn when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Lyme Disease several years ago.

As a busy mom and editor, Jennifer has challenges caused by her diseases. Some things many people take for granted, Jennifer does not. She has difficulty walking and experiences fatigue which interferes with her career and being the best mom she can be. In addition to the main two challenges, other symptoms this strong, determined mom experiences are numbness in her hands and feet, along with brain fog. While there are several different types of MS, Jennifer has the relapsing-remitting form. Most people with this type of MS decline over throughout the years and their quality of life keeps declining. She feared this happening to her, ending up in a wheelchair, restricting her ability to be active with her children and husband.

Jennifer was diagnosed in 2006 after her daughter turned one year old. Initially, she thought the tingling in her feet was related to a recent pedicure. The numbness in her toes led her to a have an MRI and to see a neurologist to have tests done. The tests showed that she had lesions in her brain and spinal cord. She was diagnosed with MS. Later, through blood tests, she also found out she had Lyme Disease.

For many years, she met with neurologist after neurologist who recommended MS medications. Not wanting to be on those medications for the rest of her life, she knew she had to find something else. She tried several holistic options that gave her temporary relief, but she yearned for more. Jennifer’s uncle had received Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for macular degeneration at The Oxford Center. He encouraged her to reach out to schedule an appointment and learn more. After some research and talking to Elizabeth, The Oxford Center’s Patient Care Director, she decided to give it a shot to help with her own disease.

When Jennifer first arrived at The Oxford Center, she was using occasionally using a walker, walked with a noticeable limp and often needed the assistance of others to walk. She was feeling depressed and isolated due to her disease. She started her first round of forty treatments of HBOT, and soon started to notice the difference. She saw an improvement in her walking and a dramatic increase in her energy level. Jennifer also noticed a better mood since she was able to be more active and be there even more for her family. Overall, she felt more present in her own life.

Many of the things that moms typically enjoy doing with their daughters, Jennifer was finding challenging due to her condition. Prior to her treatments, her daughter, who loves to shop, wanted to go shopping. Jennifer could only drive her to the mall and wait in the car due to her loss of mobility. Since starting the treatments, she no longer needs her walker. Half way through treatments she tried shopping again. This time she was able to go into the stores to share in her daughter’s love of shopping and spend a nice mother and daughter day together. “I didn’t expect this dramatic improvement so fast,” says Jennifer. “I found myself crying tears of joy on my way home from the treatments, it was like night and day. The staff at Oxford is amazing and I feel well taken care of. I feel loved and that they care about my progress. They check in with me every day to see how I am doing. It is very different than any other place I have been for treatments. It helps with my overall healing.”

Jennifer is one more person who is on the road to a better quality of life thanks to The Oxford Center.

Preventing Lyme Disease

Written by Blake Powell on April 17, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, Informational, Specific Conditions.

Lyme disease is growing in Michigan and the symptoms can be debilitating. Here at The Oxford Center we have seen many patients with Lyme who are treating successfully even after many years with the condition. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so let’s look at the best way to avoid getting Lyme disease.

What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is caused by four species of bacteria in the Borrellia family common in both the United States and Europe. This disease is passed on most commonly by an infected four-legged black tick also known as the deer tick. The ticks carry the bacteria from other animals such as deer, robins, and mice who are infected with the bacteria.

What are the Symptoms
The early symptoms include a distinguishable rash (erythema migrans) at the bite location, fever, chills fatigue, body aches, headache, neck stiffness and swollen lymph nodes. More serious symptoms sometimes develop later and may include: a spread of erythema migrans to other parts of the body; joint pain; and neurological problems including meningitis, Bell’s palsy, and numbness or weakness in your arms and legs and impaired muscle movement.
Some less common symptoms include heart problems, eye inflammation, liver inflammation and severe fatigue.

How to Avoid Lyme Disease
The black tick population in Michigan is growing. These ticks are mostly often found in wooded areas or in tall grass.If you are active outside, you are more susceptible to contracting Lyme disease through infected ticks. When outside in these areas, be sure to cover up your skin. Wear shoes and long pants tucked into your socks, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat and gloves.

After going into the woods, be sure to check yourself, your children and your pets. Ticks are very small, so you need to search very carefully. A shower after can be helpful as a tick doesn’t attach itself immediately and showering with a washcloth could remove them.

If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible with tweezers. Gently grasp the tick near its head or mouth. Don’t squeeze or crush the tick, but pull in carefully and steady. Once you’ve remove the entire tick, dispose of it by putting in in alcohol or flushing in town the toilet or better yet, save the tick in a baggie or freezer. They can be analyzed to determine if they were a Lyme carrier. Finally apply antiseptic to the bite area.

What if you have been diagnosed with Lyme?
Here at The Oxford Center, we treated several people that have been diagnosed with Lyme disease. The three therapies that specifically work to help recover from the Lyme symptoms include: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Genetic Testing and Nutrition Coaching.

Learn more about how we treat Lyme disease.

Soaring Butterfly Blake Hague

Written by Blake Powell on March 15, 2019. Posted in All News, All Posts, Events, News.

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Blake Hague joined the The Oxford Center team in April 2018 as an HBOT technician. His contagious smile and positive attitude that were noticeable the day he walked in for his interview have remained every day he walks through our doors. His compassion and caring that he treats patients with is what our clients rave about, old and young. It takes a special touch when working with some of our kids and Blake was recently mentioned from a mom of a child with autism. “He loves going into HBOT and especially with Blake there to play with him as he’s getting ready to go in.”

Blake is known as the go-to guy whenever someone needs help. You’ve probably seen him shoveling snow, salting the sidewalks, or building furniture. He always comes to work early and exemplifies the meaning of loving what you do.

Aside from being an EMT and Hyperbaric Technician extraordinaire by day, Blake is also a Firefighter and instructor. Join us in congratulating Blake for this outstanding recognition.

The Oxford Center’s Soaring Butterfly Award is given in recognition of an employee’s commitment to excellence, team effort, and exemplifying our core values.

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Introducing The Oxford Center’s Speech Therapy

Written by Blake Powell on February 11, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, Events, News, Specific Therapies.

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We are excited to welcome Kelly Hartigan who is launching our new speech therapy program here at The Oxford Center. Kelly received her Bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University and her Master’s degree from The George Washington University. Both children and adults will benefit from our speech therapy program.

Speech Programs for Children

As an additional offering for our ARTS program (Autism Recovery Thru Synergy), our Speech Therapy will be play or academic based, depending on the child’s age and specific needs. Other conditions that will benefit from this offering include children with delayed speech-language development, cerebral palsy and genetic disorders. Children going through our speech therapy program often experience an improvement in their ability to put words together, communicate their wants/needs, and initiate social interactions to engage with their family and peers.

Speech Programs for Adults

Our programs for adults will augment our offerings for stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, head-neck cancer, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological diseases. Outcomes for these patients include preparing the individual to get back to work, improving their memory skills, swallowing, to being able to manage their own medication.

Kelly holds a certification in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT-LOUD) typically used for patients with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological diseases. This is an intensive one-on-one treatment that focuses on vocal loudness, breath support, voice quality, intonation, speech articulation and facial expression.

Types of Speech Therapy

Expressive, receptive, social language therapy
Voice therapy
Cognition-memory, reasoning, problem-solving, attention, executive function
Motor speech therapy-apraxia of speech, dysarthria
Swallowing
Fluency-stuttering, cluttering

To implement your speech program:

We will get an understanding of your background and condition
You will undergo age-appropriate assessments focusing on what is important to your family
We will establish a treatment plan
Therapy will begin

To see if our program is fit for you, schedule a no-fee discovery session.

https://theoxfordcenter.com/contact/

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How to Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

Written by Andrew Kistner on February 11, 2019. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, Informational, Nutrition.

In the span of ten days between the end of January and beginning of February, temperatures in southeast Michigan swung from -30°F to 55°F, then back to 0°F. Scratchy throats, stomach bugs, and runny noses soon set in for area residents. Natural health remedies can help.

Many people notice that they get sick in the wake of dramatic temperatures changes. This intuitive knowing is confirmed by scientific studies that demonstrate that flu epidemics almost always follow a drop in air humidity. Cold weather also means more indoor activities, with people cooped up inside and germs more likely to spread.

An optimally functioning immune system (a collection of structures and processes within the body) is the body’s best defense against colds and flu. Healthy lifestyle choices are essential for maintaining well-being in a world where environmental toxins and emotional stressors conspire to weaken immunity.

Lifestyle Choices for Boosting Immunity Naturally

Avoid Toxins

Toxic chemicals and electromagnetic radiation impair immune function. It is impossible to avoid all toxins, so it is important to limit exposure wherever possible.

Three easy tips for reducing toxic load:

Choose organically grown produce and pasture-raised meat for your family.
Use natural cleaning products, such as baking soda and vinegar, in place of toxic cleaners.
Turn off all devices and routers at night.

Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods

Refined, processed, and sugary foods lower immunity. A paleo diet with plenty of vegetables, plus some high-quality proteins and fats, will support tissue repair and create healthy immune cells.

Three easy tips for adding immune-building foods to your diet:

Add onions and mushrooms to your breakfast scramble.
Make a big pot of bone-broth based soup with lots of herbs, garlic, and ginger, and eat it often.
Consume naturally fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and plain yogurt.

Stretch and Move

Regular exercise increases immune function. Moderate exercise increases white blood cells and makes them more active and effective. However, excessive exercise, such as running a marathon, temporarily hinders immune function. Aim for 20 – 30 minutes of exercise most days. If you are already sick, it’s best to wait to exercise until you feel well.

Three easy tips for moving to boost immune function:

Walk outside for 20 minutes.
Do two 10-minute sessions of exercises that stimulate the lymphatic system, such as squats, marching in place, or jumping on a trampoline.
Practice yoga or qi gong — or simply stretch your body as feels good to you.

Reduce Stress

Depression, anxiety, and emotional stress stimulate the secretion of adrenal hormones, which suppress the activity of the thymus gland and white blood cells. Even the best food choices and exercise habits cannot overcome the effects of constant stress on your body.

Three easy tips for stress reduction:

Slow down and notice your breath. Just three long, conscious breaths will noticeably reduce stress in your body. (Try it now.)
Get a massage. Take a class. Have dinner with a friend. Or do whatever brings you joy for at least an hour each week.
Write in a journal. Writing about stressful incidents and situations improves immune function. And making a list of everything that’s good in your life can shift your spirits.

Sleep More

Deep, consistent sleep is essential for optimal immune function. If you’re not in bed early enough and long enough, your body is unable to detoxify the day’s buildup of mental and physical stresses. During deep, restful sleep, the body releases immune-enhancing compounds and produces disease-fighting white blood cells.

Three easy tips for better sleep:

Eat your last meal of the day by 6:00 p.m., or at least three hours before bedtime.
Turn off cell phones, tablets, and routers an hour before bed, and read, meditate, or talk to your loved ones.
Go to bed at the same time every night.

Support Immune Function with Master Tonic

Master Tonic, sometimes called Fire Cider, is an excellent food-based immune system builder. Anecdotal reports give Master Tonic credit for minimizing symptoms and duration of colds and flu (and for preventing these common ailments when the tonic is taken regularly), for improving a spectrum of digestive health issues, and for boosting energy levels and mood.

A basic recipe follows. Some people like to add their favorite immune-boosting herbs, such as echinacea, to the mix. Some add turmeric with the other roots. While a blender may be used to chop the roots, I recommend hand-chopping as pureeing produces a cloudy, unappealing liquid.

Ingredients

1 part chopped garlic cloves
1 part chopped white onions, or the hottest onions available
1 part grated ginger root (If pregnant, omit ginger)
1 part grated horseradish root
1 part chopped jalapenos, habaneros, or a combination of the hottest peppers available

Preparation

Fill a glass jar 3/4 of the way full with equal parts of the freshly chopped or grated ingredients. Cover completely with raw apple cider vinegar. Let sit in a cool, dark spot for two weeks. Strain liquids from solids after steeping.

Solids may used in salad dressings or marinades, added to bone broth, or discarded.

Master Tonic lasts indefinitely at room temperature, after straining.

Usage

Master Tonic spicy, potent, and aromatic. An easy way to take a dose (1 – 2 ounces) is to put it in a shot glass and swallow quickly. If you have a sore throat, you may put it in your mouth, swish around, gargle, and swallow. If you’re fighting an infection, take the tonic five to six times per day.

Questions or comments? Suggestions for future posts? Eager to learn how to nourish your body and mind? The Oxford Center’s Nutrition Coach wants to hear from you. Email nicole@theoxfordcenter.com

A Body in Symphony

Written by Blake Powell on December 18, 2018. Posted in All Blogs, All Posts, Blog Posts, Informational, Specific Therapies.

Are you unable to move the way you used to? Do you feel as though you are held back from doing the things you love because your body is failing you? Well, January is right around the corner, which means it’s a great time to invest in a new you! Whether you’re
83 and having trouble moving or you’re just trying to improve your golf swing, or you’re anywhere in between, Neuromuscular Therapy is a great way to kick off your new years goals.

Our board certified trainer Denise David has a background in Occupational Therapy combined with training in a spectrum of modalities to help put your body in symphony. She has worked with everyone from Olympic athletes to those affected by stroke and TBI and she is passionate about recovery. She believes that what you do today is how you are tomorrow.

Working one on one with her, you will learn to engage specific muscles in your body from your head all the way to your toes. Not only will you be training your body to work in symphony, but you will be getting a great low impact workout as well.

“The beauty of this therapy is in its ability to improve how you feel in your own body,” says Denise. The goal is to get back to the way you are supposed to move so that you can continue to do the things you love.

With Neuromuscular Therapy, the neuromuscular system itself is being trained for a response, allowing the promotion of other motor fibers. Put simply, better alignment, better core strength, and better flexibility!

Here at The Oxford Center, we believe that a person’s body should not be their limitation. This is why Neuromuscular Therapy is amongst our many synergistic therapies. This dynamic therapy builds core strength so the body’s muscles move in symphony. It strengthens deep muscles from the “inside out” which can address pain, balance the body, increase strength, and improve flexibility.

Some of the benefits include the strengthening of muscles without overstraining or damaging joints, the relief of back pain, the strengthening of pain-inhibiting muscles, and reduction of pain from overcompensation. Neuromuscular Therapy also improves posture and balance.

Through the use of a special device called a reformer, you will be able to retrain incorrect movement patterns that lead to pain and replace them with correct movements. The exercises are done in a variety of positions in order to unload pressure in joints and build muscle strength starting with the core and moving outward.

Everybody is different. So, every approach should be different. Here at The Oxford Center, we understand this and that is why Neuromuscular Therapy fits perfectly into our synergistic system of therapies. Denise will approach your sessions based on your individual goals and design a program accordingly. There is no one size fits all method.

So, if you feel as though you would like to embark on your journey to a new you, schedule an appointment with Denise David and discover how good you can feel.

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