Power Transformation

  Today let's talk about sleep.   Sleep. How do you feel about your sleep? How much sleep do you need to feel refreshed? Do you feel as though you are getting enough of it? Do you feel fatigued, as though you aren't getting enough? Are you the energizer bunny, needing very few hours of sleep where others need 9-10 hours per day? What does your sleep profile look like? Are you falling asleep quickly and staying asleep easily? Does discomfort disturb your sleep?   If you are having any sleep disorders, disturbance or concerns, this is an important topic to discuss with your healthcare provider. Sleep is so important for our health and wellness yet it is often overlooked. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and even stroke. Want more sleep talk? Call us in office: 860-589-1491

  Salutations,   When it comes to health and wellness, ask any holistic health care provider, “How can I be healthier?” and they will probably focus on the following pillars: Healthy mind body connection, Food, Water, Sleep, Nutrients and you guessed it: Exercise.   We've spent some time extolling the virtues of eating mostly real foods that reduce the body's inflammation load. We've extensively gone on about water and sleep. And as far as nutrients go, that's a story for another day. So guess what we are chatting about today dear one: Yes indeed, exercise. I feel like you either love it or hate it. My intention in writing this is to encourage you to be on the love it side.   I feel you tuning me out but hear me out! Remember this is the easy 7 day launchpad to optimal you, (part of the 30 day kickstart!) I feel as though I have been true to my promise, that everything I will ask of you in this process will be easy to get started, and exercise is no different. ...

  You have to stay hydrated. Here are 5 reasons you need to drink more water...or put in other words: 5 ways drinking water can improve your health!   1. Why do we need water anyway? 70-80% of the brain is water and ~75% of the body is water. We need water to aid in our metabolism, for digestion, to remove impurities / waste, for circulation / transport and for maintaining temperature! All these tend to work better when we are properly hydrated.   2. We are constantly losing water so we have to replace it We lose water through: breathing, sweating, as urine and bowel movements and some medications can speed up water loss. Alcoholic beverages increase fluid loss and so does hot weather.   3. Dehydration can affect your central nervous system causing: Sleepiness / tiredness, headache, dizziness / lightheadedness, confusion and even coma in severe cases.   4. Not getting enough water may also affect the kidneys and can lead to: Kidney stones (stones can’t form in d...

We all have habits, Some that aid us to our objectives we classify as good some that have negative consequences we call bad habits. We will go into the neurology of habits in a future exercise but today let's talk about some good habits that can help our bodies function at maximum efficiency.   Get in the habit: Good habits   Our bodies have rhythms and schedules. We make certain hormones in the mornings, others in the evenings. Our bodies respond to sunlight and even to the seasons. These regulate things like our sleep cycle, appetite, temperature, hormones, alertness, body performance, blood pressure and other things like that.   When these are disrupted we can see a number of health concerns including anxiety, depression, lack of energy, increased risk of obesity and even metabolic disorders like diabetes or thyroid issues, even the dreaded autoimmune disorders can show up! So how can we develop better habits and be happy about it? How can we do what's healthy for us w...

The question everyone asks me the most is: What should I eat? I'm going to say categorically: “It depends.” There is no one size fits all diet for everyone. Based on your 3 markers a protocol can be tailored specifically for you. : How you’ve lived your life so far, Your DNA and Your gastrointestinal status including your natural flora,   That being said I can give you some broad strokes: We know that 80% of chronic illness is caused by chronic and sustained inflammation. We all want to avoid those, right? I mean, is there anyone who actually wants these chronic illnesses? Often patients are a little surprised to find that diet and overall health could be even remotely related! The truth is that some mainstays of the Standard American Diet promote inflammation. In general some of the most inflammatory foods include sugar, gluten and OMG – dairy! How can you enjoy you life and still reduce inflammatory foods in your diet? Join us! You have questions and you will find we have a lot...

I'm debunking the myth that decline is just a part of getting older once and for all time! This one will be a long one. In The 30 Day Kickstart Program we cover this material over a few days, it is that important y’all!   Let me drop some science: If you have ever been to one of our retreats or heard me speak you will have heard me talking about how inflammation is responsible for about 80% of chronic conditions that people consider just a natural part of aging. If you know me pretty well, then you know that even though I tend to have a spirit based approach to health, having been a research scientist, I always want to see the research. When it comes to health claims, count me in the cynical category!   Well, there is research that confirms that decline is not just a part of aging, this research pinpoints a molecule called NFkB found inside cells. NFkB is responsible for telling our cells to start the inflammatory process. This is great if there is an invader that needs to b...

 Last time we chatted about: "How you've lived your life so far." Today, let us ponder the same question but from a different perspective. It's interesting that many of us internalize our current health challenges as a permanent part of us. If you resonate with this you are not alone. Most people are. I used to be the same way, I probably still do it occasionally when I'm having a not so great day! ;)  I used to say things like: " MY autoimmune disorder," or " I have a hard time losing weight." What I found interesting in its simplicity is that shifting the way I would talk about the disorder I used to suffer from, changed the way I felt about it . That was one of the first steps for me on my road to recovery. Thoughts matter, thoughts have some power. I'm not saying that sitting thinking "I'm perfectly healthy" while doing something that my body has clearly rebelled against is a good idea. Trust me, kids, don't try that ...

One of my favorite mentors, a physician and teacher of functional medicine, always says that the health of about 80% of people is as a result of three things: A) How you've lived your life so far B) Your genes C) Your gut and natural flora So I've got to ask you:  How you've lived your life so far? How is that impacting your health today? I invite you to give this some serious consideration! To help with that, I've created a little questionnaire. Click here for today's worksheet. Go ahead and fill it in. This is not one of those clickbait quizzes. I will go through each of these personally and email you your results. Ok? And the invitation to call in office is still open to you. 860-589-1491 Regards in health, Dr. Davia H. Shepherd Power-Transformations.com *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles, books or from a challenge! I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is bey...

I know that the last year was truly challenging in so many ways. I just wanted to reach out to remind you that it is never too late.  No matter how old you are, no matter where you are in life, it’s not too late to live the best version of your health that you can, here and now.  So take a moment, close your eyes if you can, and think about this: If your health was ideal, if you could wave a magic wand and change everything in a snap; what does the picture of your ideal health look like? I've been talking to a lot of patients about this sort of thing recently. They have been saying things like:    "With the pandemic I've gotten out of my routine, and I just need to get back on track."     or    "I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired."   Is this sounding like you? If it is, you are not alone. Often we feel alone in our trials. I'm here to tell you that it is not just you, you are not alone and you may...