CHI DETOX – Family Style

Jimmy Ehrhart, 15


Jessica Ehrhart, 12

Standing in front of a small group of Creative Health Institute guests with a Sharpie in hand and a smile on his face, Jimmy Ehrhart, 15, recorded numbers on a large pad of paper propped upon an easel.

“I feel great right now,” Jimmy told the other guests who were going through a 10-day detox with him. It was the beginning of Day 8 and relief had come for Jimmy and others who had experienced the typical uncomfortable symptoms people have when they withdraw from sugar, caffeine, high-protein and high-fat foods.  “I feel better than I have ever felt—honestly.”

The Camden, Michigan, teen was front-and-center for the morning and happy about the progress everybody was making  with the detox. Jimmy came to CHI with his younger sister, older brother, mother and grandfather. All of them wanted to make significant changes to their diets and health. They decided to go raw after reading books such as Victoria Boutenko’s Raw Family and watching videos including Thirty Days Raw.  Now that their detox at CHI is nearly complete, the family agrees visiting our nutritional education center in Hodunk, Michigan,  has been one of the the best things they’ve ever done together.

Jessica Ehrhart, 12, said she plans to spread the word about the great time she’s had with her family and new friends at  Creative Health Institute.

“I would like to see lots of families come here. I wish everyone in the world could do it because then everyone would just be healthy,” Jessica said. “Fast foods are gross!”

After seeing the videos and reading the books his mother exposed the family to in preparation of their detox, Jimmy still was a bit skeptical about how much a raw food diet could affect him. He was willing to give raw living foods a try because he had some health concerns and wanted to see what a difference the Ann Wigmore way of life could make. Jimmy said for several years he has suffered from asthma, allergies, trouble sleeping, snoring and being overweight.  It’s been tough for him to join the fun and games kids his age typically enjoy.

“I couldn’t play sports.  My friends, they all try to run around town and I have a hard time keeping up to them with the asthma, ” Jimmy said. “It is embarrassing to stay over a friend’s house because I snore so loud.”

Now Jimmy feels a new hope and expects he’ll be able to participate more fully in teenage activities he sees others enjoy.  His snoring stopped right away. He’s been sleeping well every night and his asthma hasn’t been bothering him at all.  He’s been exercising every day and says he feels hopeful that he’ll be able to keep up with his friends in basketball, football and baseball. He has always tried to participate in sports but due to his health issues he has spent most of his time on the bench.

Jimmy also had a problem with food allergies.  He said he especially seemed to be allergic to nuts, particularly cashews. At CHI he has found he can eat all different kinds of nuts without any allergic reaction. He said he believes it’s because he had been eating nuts that were not organic and all of the food at the center is organic.  He said he was really happy to learn that eating a raw food diet doesn’t mean a life-sentence of “boring salads.” He was especially impressed with a raw cashew-cheese-based blueberry cheesecake an intern made one night for a CHI guest who was celebrating her birthday during the detox.

Jessica said all along she was excited to come to the Creative Health Institute with her family. She said she knew she needed to make some changes in her life and she was ready to move forward.

“I would like to improve my asthma and coming here definitely helped it,” she said. “I was always on the couch. I couldn’t breathe so I always had to have an inhaler wherever I went. It is really horrible.”

Jessica hasn’t had to use her inhaler once during the 10-day detox.  On day eight she reported feeling better than she has felt in a very long time. She said she has “tons” of energy and now she can breath without wheezing — something she hasn’t been able to do since she was a small child.

One of Jessica’s favorite things about the 10-day detox at CHI has been the cooking lessons. Jessica helped make marinara sauce to serve at dinner one night and she said she was surprised by how simple and tasty it was. She also has enjoyed rebounding (jumping on a miniature trampoline) in the morning and sitting in the banya (our Russian-style sauna). She said she really wants to come back for the raw chef classes to learn how to make gourmet raw living foods.

Jimmy and Jessica’s mother, Kimberly Ehrhart, said she’s very happy her family came to CHI together to detox with raw living food. She’s eager for her next visit and suggesting to staff that she’d like to see a CHI reunion for guests in the summer.

“I would highly suggest the 10-day detox,” Kimberly said.  “It’s more than cleansing for your body and mind, and it’s more than just new relationships — it’s family.”

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For more information about our 10-Day Detox and other programs at the Creative Health Institute, click HERE or contact us by e-mail at info@creativehealthinstitute.com or by phone at 866-426-1213. Our relaxing rural setting is south of Battle Creek, between Detroit and Chicago. We look forward to seeing you soon!  Wishing everyone the best health ever…

Robert Morgan – Bobby

Health & Education Director

Herbs That Affect Our Blood Pressure

Many of our guests, upon leaving Creative Health Institute, enhance their own healing journey by utilizing herbs for a period of time. This practice does not diminish the effect of the detox and rebuild programs that have helped our guests for more than 30 years. In many instances it helps  our guests strengthen their immune systems as they combine herbal  based therapy and apply what they have learned during their stay at the institute.   Some of our former guest choose to include herbal formulas, essential oils and aromatherapy to augment their health program. Taking herbs, and using essential oils and aromatherapy for medicinal purposes should only be done under the supervision of a Master Herbalist and/or a health specialist.

Some herbs which may lower blood pressure include:

Aconite/monkshood, arnica, baneberry, betel nut, bilberry, black cohosh, bryony, calendula, California poppy, coleus, curcumin, eucalyptol, eucalyptus oil, evening primrose oil, flaxseed, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, goldenseal, green hellebore, hawthorn, Indian tobacco, jaborandi, mistletoe, night blooming cereus, oleander, pasque flower, periwinkle, pleurisy root, shepherd’s purse, Texas milkweed, turmeric, and wild cherry.

Some herbs that may increase blood pressure include:

Arnica, bayberry, betel nut, blue cohosh, broom, cayenne, cola, coltsfoot, ephedra/Ma huang, ginger, licorice, Polypodium vulgare , and yerba mate.

Arnica is in both lists.This is because a particular herb whicht can lower blood pressure in its primary action, and may result in the with raising high blood pressure as a secondary reaction.

That is why you will observe sometimes contradictory rubrics for the same symptom. You can find Lyco worse with heat, and also better with heat, in most of the repertories.

Obesity: Ten Things You Thought You Knew

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How To Test Yourself For Candida

This is an excellent articel on Candida, by Christine H. Farlow, D.C.

Some health care professionals believe that candida infects 89% of the US population. Many Americans don’t realize that candidiasis is caused by the overuse and abuse of antibiotics, steroids, NSAIDs and poor dietary habits. By simply following the standard of healthcare in our society and eating the standard American diet, you may be putting yourself at risk of recurrent candida yeast infections.

Candida overgrowth, in my professional opinion, is a result of the choices that our parents, or we made regarding food and healthcare. Because of the pop-a-pill for every symptom approach to healthcare, fast food, processed food and high sugar diets in our culture, it has created the perfect opportunity for candida overgrowth. Unfortunately, once you’ve experienced a bout with the feisty yeast-like fungus, you are likely to continue to have many periodic infections if you continue the same habits that caused it in the first place.

 

Most people are aware of the most common manifestations of candida as yeast infection, jock itch, thrush, athlete’s foot and ringworm. But what is not commonly known are all the other seemingly unrelated symptoms that are caused by candida, like chronic fatigue, food allergies, digestive problems, sexual dysfunction, constipation, headaches and the list goes on and on.

It�s important to realize that candida albicans is an important part of the normal flora in the intestinal tract. It�s only when it becomes overabundant due to dietary indiscretions, use of prescription and non prescription drugs or other situations that disturb the normal balance that it becomes a problem.

You may already have an idea whether you have a candida yeast infection, but to be sure you may want to be tested. Candida testing through your doctor is a complicated process. Here are two tests you can do at home yourself and get a pretty accurate idea as to whether you are experiencing a problem with candida overgrowth.

 

First thing in the morning, before you put ANYTHING in your mouth, get a clear glass and fill with water. Work up a bit of saliva, then spit it into the glass of water. Check the water after a moment or within 2-3 minutes, then within every 15 minutes.

If you have a candida yeast infection, you will see strings, like cloudy legs, traveling down into the water from the saliva floating on the top, or “cloudy” saliva will sink to the bottom of the glass, or cloudy specks will seem to be suspended in the water. If there are no strings, the water is as clear as it was before you spit in the glass and the saliva is still floating after at least one hour, you are probably candida yeast free. The more strings and cloudiness there is and the faster it develops, the greater the overgrowth.

 

Answer the following questions in each of the three sections listed below to determine if you are likely to have candida overgrowth in your body. (This test is designed for adults.)

 

For each yes answer, score yourself the number of points indicated to the left of each question.

  • 25 – Have you taken tetracycline or other antibiotics for acne for one month or more?
  • 20 – Have you taken broad-spectrum antibiotics for any infection for two months or longer, or shorter courses in a one-year period?
  • 25 – Have you ever been bothered by persistent prostatitis, vaginitis or other problems affecting your reproductive organs?
  • 3 – Have you been pregnant one time only?
  • 5 – Have you been pregnant two or more times?
  • 15 – Have you taken birth control pills two or more years?
  • 8 – Have you taken birth control pills less than two years?
  • 6 – Have you taken Prednisone or other cortisone-type drug for less than two weeks?
  • 15 – Have you taken Prednisone or other cortisone-type drug for more than two weeks?
  • 5 – Does exposure to fragrances, mall odors or chemicals provoke mild allergic symptoms?
  • 20 – Does exposure to fragrances, mall odors or chemicals provoke moderate to severe allergic symptoms?
  • 20 – Are these symptoms worse on damp, muggy days or in moldy places?
  • 10 – Have you had athlete�s foot, jock itch, ring worm, or chronic fungus infection of skin or nails? Mild to moderate?
  • 20 – Have you had athlete�s foot, jock itch, ring worm, or chronic fungus infection of skin or nails? Severe to persistent?
  • 10 – Do you crave sugar?
  • 10 – Do you crave bread?
  • 10 – Do you crave alcoholic beverages?
  • 10 – Does tobacco smoke bother you?

Total your points for HEALTH HISTORY

 

Rate the following symptoms:
3 points – Occasional or mild
6 points – Frequent and/or moderately severe
9 points – Severe and/or disabling

Symptoms

  • Fatigue or �feeling drained
  • Poor memory; feeling spacey or �unreal�
  • Depression
  • Numbness, burning or tingling
  • Muscle aches, weakness or paralysis
  • Pain and/or swelling joints
  • Abdominal pain
  • Bloating, constipation or diarrhea
  • Persistent vaginal burning/itching
  • Troublesome vaginal discharge
  • Prostatitis
  • Impotence or loss of sexual desire
  • Endometriosis, PMS, menstrual irregularities, or other reproductive organ concerns
  • Spots in front of the eyes; erratic vision

Total your points for SECTION 2

 

Rate these symptoms:
1 point – Occasional or mild
2 points – Frequent and/or moderately severe

Symptoms

  • Frequent drowsiness
  • Frequent irritability and/or jitteriness
  • Frequent lack of coordination
  • Frequent inability to concentrate
  • Frequent mood swings (ups & downs)
  • Frequent headaches
  • Frequent dizziness/loss of balance
  • Feeling of head swelling & tingling
  • Frequent itching anywhere on body
  • Frequent or persistent rashes
  • Frequent heartburn and/or indigestion
  • Belching, burping & intestinal gas
  • Mucus in stools
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Frequent dry mouth
  • Rash or blisters in/around mouth
  • Bad breath
  • Joint swelling or arthritis
  • Nasal congestion, itching or discharge
  • Postnasal drip
  • Frequent sore or dry throat
  • Frequent unexplained cough
  • Pain or tightness in chest
  • Wheezing or shortness of breath
  • Urinary urgency or frequency
  • Burning on urination
  • Noticeably failing vision
  • Recurrent infections or fluid in ears
  • Ear pain or deafness

Total your points for SECTION 3

ADD YOUR SCORES FOR ALL 3 SECTIONS

Your total score can help you determine if your health concerns are yeast related.

SCORE:
Women above 180 � Men above 140: almost certainly yeast related.
Women 121 to 180 � Men 91 to 140: probably yeast related.
Women: 60 to 120 � Men 40 to 90: possibly yeast related.
Below 60 for women and 40 for men probably not yeast related

Have The Best Day Ever,

Robert Morgan – Bobby

Education Director

Creative Health Institute

 

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