Insights by Dr. Kacie

The deeper connection between mother and child

2012-01-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

Children will forever be in the heart and minds of their mothers.

And, as research shows, in her liver, lungs, skin, blood vessels, thyroid gland, lymph nodes, and spinal cord!

During the pregnancy process, mom and baby are not just connected by an umbilical cord, but they literally become part of each other. Cells from baby (particularly stem cells, which are undifferentiated until they get a cue from the body to become a liver cell, a heart cell, etc.) pass through the placenta and take up residency within the mothers body.

One great things about this discovery; the baby’s stem cells have the fathers DNA, and mom’s body recognizes them as foreign. Why is this a good thing? Mom’s body stimulates and strengthens her immune system. Her body will be ‘on guard’ for defending against things such as cancer cells.

This is significant, because research shows that women who have given birth have less significance of breast cancer. Part of this may be due to the protective nature of fetal stem cells making their home in mom’s breast tissue. One study in particular found that fewer fetal cells show up in the breast tissue of women who have breast cancer than those that do not (see the research article here http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/71/1/8.full)

In an article in the winter 2011 issue of Pathways Magazine, Bruce Lipton makes reference to research studying liver regeneration. In one case, liver cells identified as male were found in a biopsy of a woman who had given birth to a boy years earlier. Her liver had regenerated itself using the stem cells that were living in her body from her son!

Baby stem cells can also take up residency in mom’s brain, and may in part explain why mothers always seems to intuitively know what is going on with their children even when they have grown and moved away.

Studies involving mice revealed stem cells from fetuses cross the blood-brain barrier and take up shop in the mother mouse brain and generate new neurons. These fetal stem cells differentiate into neurons within the mothers brain, yet still contain the DNA of the babies. Her babies cells literally become part of her own nervous system!

As you can deduce, this phenomenon must also happen in humans, and therefore we can assume that moms have their children hardwired in their brains for life. Mom and baby literally are one in the same.

The primal bond between mother and child is undeniably strong, spiritually, emotionally and as we now know, physiologically!

So the next time your mom calls just to make sure you are ok, because she ‘just felt like something was going on’ give her the benefit of the doubt! You will forever be part of her.

Elements of Being are Awakening 360

2012-01-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

What IF?

2011-12-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

What if, from the moment we were born, we were told that we have absolutely everything we need within us to heal from dis-ease and dis-function? What if we were told we need nothing invasive or artificial to live a healthy and vibrant life? Would our entire healthcare paradigm be different? Would we ultimately be a healthier society? I think so.

What if our paradigm of healthcare was one in which no one even questioned the body’s ability to heal itself, and our primary care support was made up life-supporting modalities such as Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Midwifery, Yoga, Meditation, Herbalism, Dance and Sound Therapy, Reiki, Visualization, Nutrition and Exercise?

What if?

The truth is, that we have everything within us we need to heal, grow, learn, evolve, and live a life of health and vitality! But we have, as many of us are starting to realize, been told from the beginning of our lives that we do not.

We have the choices and options to shift the current paradigm of health care in to one that is supportive of our innate ability to heal. We can bring this to pass right now, as more of us take small leaps of faith to try something different.

Start by taking small steps, and seek out modalities that resonate most. Give the process a try. Healing can take time, as most natural processes in life take time. But if we are patient and lean gently into the newness of the change, shifts in our understanding of health take place. In time, with the support from your new healthcare providers, you will begin to experience the profound power that lies within.

As we awaken, we can instill this knowing in our children. Let them know that they have everything in them to heal, to be healthy, and to be strong. Encourage and practice meditation and visualization with your children. Allow vitalistic practitioners be your children’s primary health care providers. We can choose to leave invasive therapies and medication for that which they were intended; secondary, temporary crisis care.

Children are born with trust and openness to the infinite possibilities in life. It is only through conditioning that we grow up to believe otherwise. We can set a holistic foundation for children from the very beginning; children who know they can heal themselves will become future adults who know. And thus, a new paradigm is created.

It can be hard to change a belief system if we have nothing else but that belief. However, belief systems can be changed through experiencing something profound that leaves no room for doubt. Allow yourself and your family to be open to something new.

So, back to our original question: What if we really DO have the ability to heal ourselves?

Guess what? WE DO.

The Neurology of Gratitude

2011-11-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

We all know that having an "attitude of gratitude' can bring about feelings of happiness, joy, and allow us to manifest more things to be grateful for. And if you didn't know this, well, surprise! It is totally true.

But how does this happen? is it because being grateful helps us to recognize and see things and people in our lives in a more positive way? Well, yes!

Does it align our thoughts and actions to bring about more of the things that we are in vibrational harmony with? Yes!

The cool thing, is that beyond just the ethereal notions of manifesting things through the law of attraction, we actually can see a physiological change that happens in our nervous system when we are in a place of thanksgiving! Hooray!

I would like to introduce you to your Reticular Activating System (RAS). It is a very special part of your brainstem which conducts wakefulness, arousal, circadian rhythm, respiration, and cardiac rhythm, to name an important few.

It also has a huge role in our ability to be conscious, as it is a 'gate keeper' to what experiences from our environment moves through our sensory system and into our brain. Therefore, the experiences we have in life are processed through our RAS, and then evaluated within our frontal cortex, which is the higher brain center associated with consciousness.

If we are focused on the things which bring us worry and fear, the RAS can become dysfunctional resulting in an over-amplified response to stressors in the environment and create anxiety and a lack of awareness for the good experiences we have in life. As a result, we tend to literally bring about more things which bring about worry and fear because we have 'wired' our brains to experience things related to what we focus on.

So we see that the RAS begins to become programmed to the experiences, thoughts, and actions that we are focused on. The RAS literally becomes a filter for those sensory experiences and allows them to reach the conscious higher brain centers. We therefore create a 'mood' or a wiring in our brain which expects and identifies with that experience, and it becomes part of our reality. The result is more and more of the same experience, because it is what our brains have become hard-wired to expect. Sweet.

Therefore, in order to create the life of health, abundance and vitality we want, it is important to focus on our most desired visions and those things in our life that we are grateful for. Through our thoughts, feelings, actions and words, we create a platform for our RAS to function in the manner we desire.

Although it may take practice, our nervous system has plasticity (literally known as Neuroplasticity), meaning that it can change functionally and structurally as a result of our experiences.

Best to focus on what you want and are grateful for, wouldn't you say?

In summary, the more we focus our energies on things that make us feel gratitude, the more our RAS will become wired to filter for more of these experiences into our higher brain centers, and thus we have more of these experiences. The law of attraction from a concrete neurological perspective...cool!

So when you are walking around expressing gratitude for your family, your friends, the flowers, and the trees and someone mentions how all 'peace and love' you are while rolling their eyes, you can tell them: 'I am strengthening the connections between my Reticular Activating System and my Prefrontal Cortex, thank you very much!"

And tell them how grateful you are to them for noticing. :)

My Magical Home Birth

2011-10-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

I want to share my birth experience, and I do so because Itrust birth. I trust my body and I trust the innate wisdom in women to do themost natural thing on the planet… to get pregnant, grow a baby, and to givelife.

I am not going to debate hospital vs. home birth in thispost. It is a much-heated debate, and what I know to be right for me will comeout clear as day in my words, but I am not trying to stir the pot… well, ok, maybea little.

The truth is that in life, there is always risk. There arealways things that can happen. But for me, the risks associated with givingbirth in a hospital system where you are forced to give up much of yourautonomy, brings me much greater fear than birthing at home. In fact, I had NO fearthrough my entire process. Just presence, intensity, love, power and an innateknowing that my body and baby were running the show… not someone from theoutside.

My labor started at 2:30 in the morning, and it was withouta doubt, labor. It is hard wired in women to recognize this as labor if we areallowed to pay attention and let it happen when nature intends. The sensationsof contractions were nothing I had ever experienced before, but yet it feltundeniably familiar.

My contractions started, and I had no time to bake the cakeI was planning during my early labor, as they were 3 minutes apart and 1 minutelong from the moment the first one woke me up.

I think I manifested going into labor at that moment (I was10 days ‘overdue’… but of course I was right on time) as I had mentioned toSean that June 15th was a full moon AND a lunar eclipse and how thatwould be such a magical day for our baby to come, and little Luca must haveheard my request :)

It was serendipity, as we had set the alarm clock for 2:30amso as to experience and take pictures of the eclipse, but no need… I went intolabor minutes before the alarm went off, the moon guiding me all the way.

Sean started filling the tub, and I got up, had some waterand a snack, as I knew I would need energy for the journey ahead. I put on mypre-made playlist of music and we dimmed the lights. There is nothing likeknowing that you get to experience one of the most amazing events in your lifein the safety and love of your own home (which means you can go to the fridge,the bathroom, your bed, the tub, the couch, outside, whenever YOU want, andmove around however YOU feel you need to, without asking permission!).

I labored for a while on the floor, hands and knees, rockingto the rhythm of my music (internal music as well as external) while the tubwas filling and Sean was scurrying around (so cute) getting the camera set up(we filmed the whole thing!).

We called our midwife around 6:00 am to let her know that I wasstill able to talk and joke, and she asked us to let her know when I was alittle further along and deeper into my process, as she knew that this was awonderful time for Sean and I to connect and have private moments.

As my contractions progressed and became more intense, Idecided to try out the birthing pool. AMAZING. For so many reasons. First,there is a weightlessness that you experience that takes some of the physicalpressure off of your body, and allows you to move and glide and work with eachcontraction. Second, there is a sense of fluidity that helps you to get in tunewith the rhythm of your body, and thirdly, there is nothing more relaxing andpampering than a warm bath!

Sean called our midwife, who showed up around 8:30am,and the apprentice midwife soon thereafter. My doula/Chiropractor showed upabout an hour later, and there I was… surrounded by so much love, support and aspace that was being held sacredly for me, for our baby, and the amazingprocess of bringing life into the world!

I felt totally safe, totally supported, and totally lovedthrough the intensity of my experience. It was MY show. I was in charge. When awoman is in labor, allowed to be present and fully conscious with the guidance of her bodyand her baby, she goes completely within herself, and innately knows how to give birth. It is primitive, it isbiology, and it is natural.

My body started pushing while in the tub, and mycontractions grew more and more intense. And yes, it was hard, but the feelingsand energy were coming from within ME, not from the outside. I had no fear, even when it was at its most intense; I was able to feel what my body and mybaby were doing, and was ever so aware and one with the process. My support team wasthere as witness, offering support and giving me the love andspace I needed to birth my baby.

I pushed for about 3 hours, and during the last hour as mybody really began bearing down, my midwife suggested (andit was a suggestion, not a demand) that I try the birthing stool, to help openmy pelvis a bit more. It was SO intense for the first 2 contractions, but 2 or3 more and I could feel my baby moving down. What an AMAZING sensation! Pushingactually felt so good, so powerful and since I had no drugs, I could FEELeverything and feel my baby, and knew exactly how to move my body so my littleone could make his journey through.

I got up on mybed, as my legs were getting a bit tired and I needed to change positions so Icould continue to work.

As I was pushing, my midwife noticed that the bags of water (amniotic sac) were intact and were coming first. They had not broken, (and we did notintervene and have them broken artificially). She gleefully said, “he isgoing to be born in the caul!” which is an term meaning that he was going to beborn completely within the bags of water, unbroken. Magical.

Side note: Being born in the caul is supposedly very rare,and is said to be a special blessing, and the child is said to have intuitivepowers…cool. However, my midwife has seen this numerous times, so I wonder ifit is rare because it is common practice to break the amniotic sac in order toinduce or ‘speed up’ labor. If more women were allowed to let the innateintelligence in their bodies decide when to go into labor, would more babies beborn in this more magical way? I wonder.

So I am on the bed, surrounded by my Chiropractor/doula, 2 midwives andSean and feel so empowered, so supported and fearless as I tapped in tothe primal femininity, which goes back eons and eons of time. It felt right; itfelt like I had done this a million times. I had no one from the outsidetelling me what I should or should not be doing. Just that I was doing it!

I pushed my baby’s head out after a huge contraction and an intense burning sensation (ring of fire...oh, that describes it well!). Seeing his head and feeling the intensitygave me an enormous burst of energy and excitement. He was RIGHT THERE. Onemore intense contraction and a final push and I felt his shoulders and then hisslippery little body and he was born. Shrouded in the sac which was his sacredhome for 9 + months. It was AMAZING.

My midwife pulled the sac off of him and immediately he letout a cry, and she plopped him right on my belly. He was born at 11:26 am after a 9 hour labor.

And then the hormones kicked in…. WOW. I have NEVER feltsuch bliss in all my life. Every uncomfortable and intense sensation completelyleft me, and I was in ecstasy. (I literally felt like I had just taken the mostamazing hallucinogenic drug. And the cool thing was that I hadn’t had ANYdrugs… It was again, coming from ME!)

My baby Luca was on my chest, and was blissed out as well.He was not taken from me, he was placed exactly where he innately EXPECTED tobe. On me. On Momma. The matrix of his world so far. (The neural imprinting ofthis is so deep, that I am planning on a second post of just the lifelongimplications of the baby’s first neural sensory experiences).

We waited for the cord to stop pulsing, as the blood thatwas squeezed out of him during his journey out of me and into the world waspumped back into his body. While it was pulsing, everyone just held the space,lovingly for little Luca. It was apparent that he felt no fear, he was justwhere he was supposed to be, and was in awe and complete awareness taking inhis new world.

Dad cut the cord when it stopped pulsing, and Luca wasallowed to do what nature and his instinct was programmed to do…CRAWL towardsmy breast and find his first oral food. Most people do not realize that babies canactually crawl right after birth. If given the opportunity, and if they have nodrugs running through their little systems, they will literally crawl and headbob their way ON THEIR OWN to the breast. And after about 30 minutes, this isjust what he did. Amazing.

Again, the neural imprinting that occurs when the baby isallowed to do what it is designed to do sets up a primary foundation of independance. Being allowed to move and twist and turn their way out of momma, and then allowed to find the breast on their own is primary, instinctual, and is NECESSARY.

It was amazing to just be, in my bed, with my baby, where Igave birth, and not have to worry about going anywhere. I could sleep, eat andbe waited on hand and foot while bonding with my new little baby. It was themost perfect experience of my life.

I felt so empowered, and know now after going through thatexperience, in my home, without any unnecessary interventions or drugs, that Ican do ANYTHING.

And again, this is not a debate about home vs. hospitalbirth, but I know that I would not have had the same experience or perhaps thesame outcome if I would have birthed in the hospital.

For me, being in a place with unfamiliar smells, sights,sounds and people feels totally unnatural. I would not have been able to relaxfully, to be ever so present in my body, and to be able to do exactly what mybody and baby needed to do. I know that feeling stressed, feeling pressured,and being unable to focus within, can slow down and complicate the naturalprogression of birth. Some women feel safer and more at ease in a hospitalsetting while giving birth, but for me, my bed is the most comfortable and safeplace in the world!

Giving birth to my son wasthe hardest and most miraculous thing I have ever been through, and I wouldNEVER take it back. I wasn’t quiet, I didn’t have a pain free experience, but Idid have the most empowering and transformative experience of my life, and Ihave a healthy, amazing little baby whom I brought into the world in a safe, peaceful, andloving environment.

I chose homebirth because I trust birth. The debate aboutwhether it is better to birth at home or in the hospital is about what is saferfor mom and baby. Problems can arise in both situations. And they do. This islife. We are faced with life and death every day. I just choose to trust, tofocus on what can go RIGHT and honor the fact that we can never really know howmiraculous the creation of life is, that there is a force bigger than all of uswhich is supporting our experiences. I put my faith in that, and am forevergrateful for my pregnancy and birth experience which was all for my amazingbaby boy.

Is your child 'Sick' or expressing Health?

2011-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

It is no fun to see our little ones feeling icky. We see symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, rash and fever (to name a few), and the first thing that comes to mind is ‘oh no! My sweetie is SICK!’

I would like to propose that in most cases, when our children have ‘a cold’ or ‘the flu’, that their little bodies are expressing perfect health!

There is an inborn healing intelligence within each of us, which allows the body to remedy itself through the process of symptoms.

A ‘symptom’ is merely a sign that a process is occurring in the body, and is not necessarily a bad thing! In most cases of a common cold or the flu, the symptoms we see are a way for the body to get rid of unwanted ‘gunk’.

However, in our culture, we equate symptoms with sickness. The truth is, symptoms are a RESOLUTION of illness, and an expression of a healthy immune system doing its job! Therefore, SYMPTOMS = HEALTH!

We are exposed to thousands of viruses and bacteria (lets call them ‘critters’). In fact, we have tons of critters living within us all the time! Some decide to hang out and go along for the ride, while others decide to throw a party in our bodies when we have an overload of physical, chemical or emotional stress.

When critters decide to live it up, our central nervous system calls upon our immune system to break up the party.

So what is the immune system anyway?

The immune system is basically 2 processes mediated by cells in our blood: white blood cells and plasma cells.

The first process is Cellular Mediated Immunity (the ‘clean up crew’), while the second process is Humoral Mediated Immunity (the ‘memory crew’).

Specialized white blood cells are the hot shots of Cellular Mediated Immunity. They excel at breaking up the party by either hugging the critters into submission (some would say they kill the critters, but I like a more peace and love approach), or release a chemical, which critters find totally irresistible, and the party stops. The white blood cells then clean up the mess left behind by flushing out the gunk through symptoms!

We have designated exits for the clean up crew to rinse out the gunk; the digestive tract, the respiratory tract, the skin, the nervous system, the eyes, the ears, and through increases in body temperature, to name a few.

We see the exit of gunk as diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, rash, earaches, and watery eyes, for example. Certainly not fun, but oh, so necessary! We don’t want the party to go on forever, and when it is over, it is important to clean up the mess, yes?

If the gunk is left in the body by the suppression of symptoms, it can stay in the body, become toxic, and potentially lead to increased stress and a weakened immune system.

Specialized plasma cells are the coordinators of humoral mediated immunity. They release antibodies, which calm and tame the critters, and ‘memory’ plasma cells, which get to ‘know’ the critters intimately. Therefore, the next time a particular critter decides to get a little rambunctious, it will be recognized and remembered. This allows the immune system to respond super fast and stop the critter in its tracks before the party gets out of control.

Both of these natural immune responses produce long lasting, strong immunity! Brilliant!

With this understanding, one can see the benefit of supporting symptom processes during a common cold, the flu, or a bout of the ‘ickys’.

Over the counter medications can perhaps give some relief, but they also suppress the body’s natural immune response. Creating a peaceful environment which reduces physical, chemical and emotional stress is an effective way off supporting the immune system and its processes: turn the lights low, reduce exposure to toxic cleaning agents, offer wholesome food and lots of water, give massages, loving words, encourage sleep, turn on soft music, or read a favorite story.

Allowing symptoms to run their course in the presence of a loving space will encourage the development of strong, natural immunity!

It is hard to see our kids not feeling their best. However, if we understand the expression of health through symptoms, we can offer love and support knowing that our little ones are becoming stronger, healthier, and more vibrant!

And there is no better medicine in the world than LOVE!

Pregnancy, beautifully raw and unedited

2011-01-18T13:37:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have blogged, and figure this is a great place to resume. As a Chiropractor, I trust in nature, I trust in the innate intelligence within us and within all things, and I trust in the process of creating new life.

I knew the moment I got pregnant. Sean and I set an intention and it worked, without a glitch. First try! Since I knew (without yet getting a pee-test confirmation), I payed close attention to the minute changes and processes which were already taking place within.

I started sensing my uterus and its ligaments, blood flow and vital energy shifting in order to prepare for the new little life that was implanted. I was more fatigued, holding a bit of excess water, and my breasts were tender and swollen.

Now, I also know that the mind is powerful, and thoughts become manifest, so I had a few moments where I was thinking "maybe I just THINK I am pregnant, and my body is responding to my thoughts". This does happen. If we think happy thoughts, we feel good in our bodies, as our physiology, hormones and nervous system responds. So, perhaps this was what was going on. But then that thought ceased. I just knew.

I had a few moments where my cheeks would flush and get very hot, and moments of nausea early on (mind you, this was all within a 1-2 weeks after I knew I conceived). These sensations were very different from the usual mid-late cycle sensations and signals that I usually receive, so I knew something was up. My hormones were shifting, my blood flow was being shunted to my uterus to create a placenta, and my body was preparing to do whatever it needed to protect the little life growing inside.

When I took the pee test, it literally gave me a plus sign the second my urine hit the stick. No Joke. Totally pregnant. Like I needed a pee stick to tell me that :)

WOW. It really does work! Set the intention, move in the direction of that intention, and poof! Things are created. Just like that. How magical. We didn't expect I would get pregnant so fast... Then again, we really did. Sean was elated, a little shell shocked, excited, and full of tears when I told him. I wrapped the little pee stick up with wrapping paper and a bow with a little note that said "you have GREAT swimmers!" Figured with him, a little humor and thought go a long way :)

So along the way, lots of thoughts, emotions, and sensations began occurring. I had thoughts about the fact that we are not married, and felt for a moment that maybe we should be? But then I thought, wait a second. Lets just enjoy THIS experience, here, and now. Not rush into marriage because it is the NORMAL thing to do. I don't think I am entirely normal anyway. Chiropractors are a little wacky, as most people know, and I have always done things just a little different, which I am happy about. So, when we do get married (a year, 10 years, 50 years from now), it will be a magical, sparkly party to celebrate our union as a FAMILY, including Sean's daughter Shayla, our parents and siblings and friends. That is the kind of marriage I want. (plus I want to be able to drink Champagne)

I found myself within the 2nd month going into a bit of survival mode. I tend to spend energy focusing on the collective whole, the oneness that flows within all of us, the trees, the oceans, the planets and beyond. This is how I feel connected, safe and loved. However, something extravagant happens when you are growing another life; you tend to go deep inside yourself and can sometimes feel completely disconnected from everything and everyone else. All the stuff that you have worked on for years comes back full force, and is right in front of you, making you feel scared. I would have strong thoughts; 'how can I make this baby feel safe in the world? How is this all going to play out? What is my new role as a mother, and not just Kacie, who has always been super independent?'. My amazing coach and mentor Tom Preston would say in those moments I 'push too much masculine energy', wanting control, answers, and to just survive. Pregnancy is a time to be ultra feminine...nurturing, intuitive, emotional. Oh, yes, I have had bouts of strong emotions that many times end in tears. But AHHH! how good it feels to release my fears through crying.

I thought after the first month that I was not going to get 'morning sickness'. I follow a healthy lifestyle: Eat a balanced vegetarian diet, exercise, practice yoga, meditate, get regular Chiropractic care, laugh a lot. Come to find out, this has NOTHING to do with whether you get the typical 'sickness' that comes with pregnancy. Cuz I sure did!

Morning sickness (or in my case ALL DAY sickness) needs a new word. Yes, it feels terrible, yes, vomiting 5 times a day and feeling like you have the worst hangover of your life for 3 months is not fun, but it is NOT SICKNESS. My body was doing EXACTLY what it needed to help ensure that my little nugget could develop, grow, and thrive. My body is a temple for this process and it will do what it needs to to keep out anything which may cause harm. My body for this time does not belong to me or my ego. It is here to create life. And sometimes it is hard work. Perhaps it should be called 'expressing primal health during pregnancy'.

During my first trimester I no longer felt like a human with an educated brain that told me that I am an individual, I am a smart, cute, fun loving lady with a knack for laughing at stupid jokes (If you want to feel good about yourself, I will laugh at pretty much anything you say that you feel is funny and other people don't). I felt like an animal. A wolf. My senses were almost super-human, and dictated EVERYTHING in my day. Lights were brighter, sounds were more piercing, my reflexes were lightning fast, and my sense of smell... OH MY GOD. Sean was amazed that during a road trip I could actually smell that the sandwich I had bought that was in the back seat, (wrapped up in paper, then in a box, and then in another paper bag), had fallen slightly apart. It was confirmed. I was a wolf.

It makes 'sense' that this is what needs to happen. I am protecting the most precious of things, a new being that is coming into its own manifestation, right in my belly! This body of mine needs to be aware of EVERYTHING in my environment. If that is not intelligent and divine design, I don't know what is!!

I felt more challenged in those three months than I ever have (at least it felt like it at the time). And in those moments when it was everything I could do not to vomit from the smell of scrambled eggs, perfume, salad dressing, toothpaste, peoples' breath, this tree in my front yard, whatever...I gave reverence to my body, and acknowledged the magic of the process. It is not easy for the little seedling to push its way through the soil, or for the earth to push its way into a giant mountain. Yet this is the process of life... challenging and brilliant. And totally worth the sacrifice.

During this time, my body was not wanting prenatal vitamins. Again, I trust my body's messages, and despite the millions of opinions about what the 'right' things are to do in pregnancy, our bodies innate intelligence knows more than our educated minds, and for me, that is primary. I would vomit every time a prenatal vitamin hit my stomach. My body clearly didn't want it, and I was not about to force it just because some article states that you have to take massive amounts through your whole pregnancy. My body liked macaroni and cheese. Protein, fat and carbs. All the building blocks a growing baby needs :)

Month 4 came along, and poof! I felt like a rockstar! The vomiting ceased, and I started to show a little pooch, which was nice confirmation, that yes.. all of that was for a little growing bean inside. I started exercising again and doing yoga, yet my body told me what it needed and how much, I was not going to push beyond its messages. I started eating like I normally would except with a bit more consciousness, since I was able to focus on that. I do know that healthy food equals a healthy body and baby, so became focused on nutrition. My body craved healthy foods, especially green veggies! I was able to start taking prenatal vitamins and my body and my baby accepted them with ease and gratitude. My energy increased, and my belly really started growing!

In the 4th month, I started to feel the first signs of movement.. little flutters and pokes from the inside. If you have felt this before, you know that this is the single most magical sensation you can have. WOW. a LIFE growing inside my body. Separate from me, yet part of me. A being of light created from Sean and I, yet taking on a manifested form and life of its own. So weird, and so foreign, yet, so FAMILIAR. It is in the moments when I am connecting with my baby and I feel it move, that I feel the primitive ancient nature of what a womans' body is capable of and created for. It is a new feeling, but feels like I have done this for eons of time.

I am just starting my 5th month, and my uterus is rapidly growing to accomodate the growth of my little one. I am feeling healthy as can be, and am noticing the modifications in my normal movements and positions than I need to shift to in order to adapt to my changing body. As a Chiropractor, this is most apparent when I am adjusting. I must shift my center and use focused form and awareness while adjusting. This keeps me very present.

I have thought about my birth plan, and have an awesome midwife, as I am planning for a home birth. I am healthy, and therefore I have opted out of many of the 'standard' pre and post natal care options as I trust in the natural process of pregnancy and birth. No ultrasounds, no finding out the gender before birth, no genetic testing, no amniocentesis, I have no OBGYN, no constant fetal monitoring, no cutting the cord until it stops pulsing, and will be dehydrating my placenta so I can consume it after the birth in capsule form (the title of this post is "raw and unedited"...) and will not be vaccinating or circumcising (if it is a boy). That being said, I do realize that things can occur in the birth process, and my midwife is very versed, educated, and practiced in handling many things that may arise. I do have myself registered at a local hospital in case of an emergency, but will not step foot inside the hospital unless there is a need.

Pregnancy, giving birth, and motherhood are sacrifices. And that does not mean that something needs to be taken away from me in order to have another. It means willingly offering something of myself in order to receive something else. To receive a CHILD! I have chosen to honor this experience in all its hardships and glory, and trust in the process. The process is transformative, and I can't imagine doing it any other way :)

loves

Kacie

Adjusting Inmates

2010-07-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

I joined a group of Chiropractors on April 28 for a health fair at San Quentin Prison. When I was asked to attend this event, I was MORE than overjoyed to participate. For me, getting my hands on people, ALL people, regardless of WHO they are, WHERE they are, or WHAT they have been through in their lives is my PURPOSE.

I have had mixed reactions, however, to me joining this event. Some people responded with, “Oh my God! Be careful! Are their gonna be guards?” or “You are gonna get eaten alive!” or “Why are you adjusting people who are evil and who have done horrible things? They should be SUFFERING for the crimes they committed, not rewarded!” and a few “Wow! What a great thing you are doing! That is going to be an amazing experience.” (Most of those comments were from clients, other Chiropractors and family… those who know the work that I do intimately).

I understand the negative feedback. This is a high security prison with people who have committed unspeakable acts of crime and violence. And I do agree that rehabilitation in a prison system is necessary to prevent them from committing more crimes and to teach them that what they did to get there is NOT acceptable.

However, what IS rehabilitation? Is it treating a prisoner like an animal and punishing them in violent ways to show them the error of their way? Perhaps an eye for an eye; do to them what they did unto others? Maybe lock them in a dark cell so they can never see the light of day and perish with no human contact for the rest of their meaningless life? Perhaps. But I do not feel that way AT ALL.

This is my opinion, and SOLEY my opinion, and I have stronger conviction now to support my opinion after my experience at San Quentin. Let me tell you about the day and what it was like ‘on the inside’…

The prison is HUGE. It is quite beautiful from the outside. Actually, it sits on some of the most expensive land in North America, overlooking our Beautiful SF Bay. Security measures are extensive (as they should be). We had a strict dress code; no blue, orange or green (colors that distinguish the different classes of inmates) and had to dress professional (obviously) with no bling

It took at least an hour and a half (or more) to actually get inside, as we had to go through security checks in groups, and get stamped with ink that only shows up under black light. (The guard who was stamping told me to be careful not to get my hands wet as the stamp may come off and I would be forced to stay in the prison for 24 hours… he saw the blood drain from my face and nudged me… “HAHA… Just kiddin’. I get ‘em every time with that one!”) …yeah, funny dude.

Once we were in, we were escorted right into the center of the prison (the yard). The scene was straight out of Shawshank Redemption. Hundreds of inmates in their jeans and blue shirts and knit hats doing pushups, pull-ups, playing baseball (yup, they have a field), playing guitar and singing, meditating, playing dominoes and cards. Meanwhile, a flock of geese just hanging out in the grass while an inmate that looked like he had been there for 30 years was speaking goose to them and feeding them his sandwich. It was unbelievably surreal.

It is important to note that these guys in the yard, and the ones that were able to participate in the health fair are on good standing. They have done the “work” to have the privilege to be outside and able to have some “normalcy” in their day. We did not serve the guys that were on death row, or those who had not gone through the system to be given privileged rights.

As we were walking through the yard, headed to our room where we would be adjusting, all eyes were on us. For a moment, a feeling of “oh, my, God, are we gonna be ok?” set in. We are on THEIR turf, THEIR rules. Are they gonna even want what we have to offer?

As we got closer, the eyes all turned to smiles and, ”hey! Are you guys the Chiropractors?” “Thank you SO much for coming!” The feeling of US vs. THEM became: WE are all here, to have an experience. These are HUMAN BEINGS in this prison. Not that I ever doubted that, but when faced with it (literally), you realize that yes…these guys did something to get in here. And yes… most likely something bad. However, not one person I met that day would I ever describe as being a “Monster”.

This brings up a lot of emotions and controversy in people to make a statement like that, I understand. But here is how I see it.

We are products of our environment. Our genes are a blueprint (just ask Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD.), and where and how we grow up greatly determines whether or not we learn how to have respect for ourselves, for others, for society. Most people who commit crime (now hear me… I said MOST… not ALL) grew up in an environment which was not supportive of growth, well being, and did not nurture a sense of self worth. Most likely, many of the guys in San Quentin had pretty non-supported lives growing up. And again, do not get me wrong…it does not excuse what they did… but it is a FACT.

The good news is that environment can change. And, we are ADAPTABLE to that change. If we do not properly rehabilitate and allow people to learn skills that they never had the chance to learn, then what would ever stop them from committing crimes again?

If we put inmates in a hole for the rest of their lives, OR put them in prison and make them SUFFER for what they did while they are in there, do you think they will feel better? Do you think when they get out after their sentence is up they will be like, “Whew! I learned a lot! I wont ever commit my crime again!” Perhaps. Perhaps they WILL learn a lesson. However, I don’t think this would be a very common outcome. In fact, I think if you treat a man like an animal, he will act like an animal.

San Quentin has a very structured system to rehabilitate people in to becoming PART of society, in order to help them understand the error of their crimes. They are exposed to a new environment and have to work for privileges and the right to interact in a constructive and supportive way. They learn tools, which teach them that even though they did bad things in the past, they can change the way they deal with their future. They learn greater self worth as a HUMAN that can be a contribution, not a hindrance to society.

Why not support change in people, rather than write them off as evil scum that should be wiped clean from the earth? What message is this giving? That it is wrong to treat people like scum, disrespect human life and society, etc., yet its ok to treat people like scum and disrespect THEIR life in prison? That idea really bothers me.

In San Quentin, there are posters, wall hangings and artwork expressing positive affirmations ALL OVER THE PRISON. I was impressed to say the least. There are quotes about remembering your inner strength, learning to forgive ourselves and our actions, and that we have the power to change and evolve within our life and consciousness. I bet this is a huge change in environment for MANY of the inmates.

So how does Chiropractic fit in?

Chiropractic adjustments clear out interference that inhibits Nervous System function. The Nervous System is what receives and integrates information from our environment. If the lights are dimmed down on the power of the Nervous System, it can be challenging to learn new skills from a new environment. Getting adjusted allows us to better adapt to our environment. So I know in the core of my being, getting inmates adjusted helps them with their rehabilitation process.

And THAT is why I enthusiastically said yes to this event.

Yup, I said it…GETTING INMATES ADJUSTED CAN HELP WITH THEIR REHABILITATION. A fully open and expressing Nervous System will be able to receive and process rehabilitation experiences in prison.

Having a Nervous System that is free and open is better than one stuck in old destructive patterns. Wouldn’t you say?

Each guy I adjusted was receptive and SO thankful. Some had never seen a Chiropractor, but were open to receiving whatever we were offering. To see the glimmer of light in their eyes and a shift in the presence of their being after the adjustment was magical. The energy in the room was palpable. We must have adjusted least a thousand guys or more.

This event is held once a year. We feel it is not enough. We want San Quentin to allow us to come in every MONTH to get these guys adjusted. If we can contribute, from a fundamental level, in reconnecting inmates to their higher power (run through and over the Nervous System) and help them to KNOW THEMSELVES from a higher place, we have served our mission.

I believe in the power of the human potential. I have been in its presence, I have touched it, and looked it straight in the eyes.

I understand that humans have the capability to do bad things. I understand that sometimes people cannot change. But sometimes they CAN…

That being said, I have and always will be, in favor of the magic that is the HUMAN SPIRIT.

Sustainable Health Care

2010-07-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering over the new health care reform bill, and am thinking: how does Chiropractic fit into the equation?

I go back and forth with the idea of billing insurance. I am currently offering itemized receipts so clients can get reimbursed. However, sometimes this can be a challenge, and they end up going through the run around to get even part of their money back. It is challenging, because I do not want to deny anyone care.

The issue with the current model is that we as Chiropractors are limited in how much care we can provide under most insurance plans. What this means is only a certain number of visits is covered. If clients want to see a Chiropractor as a preventative and supportive health care option, it is not covered. Coverage usually allows for a small “treatment” plan, and care is not covered once they are used up. And, in recent years, a greater and greater number of insurance companies deny claims for Chiropractic unless there is a “crisis”. Many people choose Chiropractic care to keep their bodies and minds functioning at optimal levels, for primary health care and true prevention, and therefore, are not covered.

We live in a society where we tend to wait until a ‘crisis’ happens, and thus, medical costs in this country rise and rise every year. If people learn the tools about honest to goodness prevention and health, they will not have to pay for thousands and thousands of dollars once a serious issue arises. I feel that we as holistic health care providers, along with Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, and Nutritionists should be placed at the forefront of primary health care. And this is why:

The new reform bill is expected to reduce the federal deficit by $124 billion in the next 10 years, however; medical costs for procedures continue to rise at astronomical rates. Currently, medical doctors and providers are getting paid for volume of procedures they are administering, not on the health outcome of their patients.

The good news is that the health reform is going to experiment with this idea, and pay healthcare providers for how WELL patients get based on treatments. This in itself is a great shift in thinking within the current medical model. However, at the current moment, only medical providers are included within this experiment, and not “alternative” health care providers.

Modalities such as Chiropractic, Naturopathy, and Acupuncture base their entire protocol on how WELL people are in mind, body and spirit! These modalities have been working with this idea since the BEGINNING, and are working with more and more ways of tracking wellness through a combination of subjective and objective measures.

So what would it look like if we were included within the primary healthcare paradigm? Insurance would pay for these services, and guess what? People will start getting better and STAY better. And the cool thing is that insurance companies will still get paid because people will want to continue with and maintain their holistic healthcare plans, and use their coverage on a regular basis, not just for emergencies! This will greatly keep medical costs down, and people will start getting healthier. TRUELY healthier.

The problem? People will get better from a preventative and inside-out approach and may not need major medical treatments as much as they do with the current model. This may be a problem for the medical health care system…. not as much money coming in, and therefore not as much money still going out to medical providers and medical research.

Likewise, if medical doctors begin to be paid on the outcomes of treatments they are offering and not on volume like it has been, how are they going to measure this? Measuring if we are symptom free? The truth is, having no symptoms does not equal health. You can numb your pain with ibuprofen for years, but are you healing yourself with painkillers? The answer is, well, no.

Don’t get me wrong; there is a need for medicine, and a need for allopathic treatment options. These options are needed in CRISIS. Not as a means to towards getting people truly healthy.

So, is shifting “alternative” care to the forefront worth the potential loss of money that would normally be used for research in the testing of medicines and cutting edge surgical techniques? Perhaps… perhaps if we shift our paradigm of what we are researching.

In most cases, studying “alternative” health care models costs significantly less than traditional allopathic research. Why? Most of these modalities are case studies, use hands on approaches, and simple, natural methodology. No big machines, chemistry and pharmaceutical backing needed. Just more and more providers having the incentives to perform research in their given field.

This is potentially a win-win situation as far as I am concerned. Allow greater and primary coverage for holistic healthcare providers, get paid based primarily on measurable patient health and wellbeing outcomes, and increase the desire to dive into a different and more evolved realm of research.

The result? Astronomically reduced health costs, an increase in people being healthy and STAYING healthy, and an increase in knowledge and awareness into how holistic health care actually is SUSTAINABLE health care through progressive research. SWEET!

I am still considering billing insurance, even if it takes years before we are considered primary healthcare providers because I believe in the work that I do. I also believe that if someone comes to me in crisis and has insurance coverage, it is hard for me to turn them away because they cannot pay out of pocket. I am working towards my own research in this arena.

My goal will always be to work with the body to release Subluxations so healing can occur from the inside out. That just means I would have 10-12 visits (or whatever the insurance company allows) to start that process. And at least I have that time to start moving them towards true healing, education and health. Hopefully my clients begin to know the benefit in regular Chiropractic care and become a strong voices and advocates for a paradigm shift in our healthcare reform!

Your Innate Power

2010-07-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

Since we were young, many of us were taught to believe that in order to be healthy, happy, vibrant and free of dis-ease and disfunction, that we need to add something from outside of ourselves. We have either forgotten or never learned that we have a power within us, that we are self-healing organisms!

When you cut yourself, your body innately knows how to heal that wound. It brings the right amount of blood, clotting factors and cells to close and heal. Sure, we can go to a medical Doctor and have the wound stitched, but the stitches and the Doctor don’t do the healing, your body does! That power is something that we can never artificially replicate….. We can sure try, (and lord knows, science is desperately trying) but we can never truly understand the miraculous power that takes place during the healing process.

We can observe this power, however, and take the time to notice with awe and wonder. We have MAGIC within us at every moment!

Right now, you are breathing, seeing these words, digesting, processing chemistry and your Nervous System is sending trillions of messages throughout your body to maintain homeostasis and balance. And all of this is happening without us even having to think one thought about it! Imagine if you HAD to think about every breath that you take, or if you HAD to think “come on, kidneys! flush out those toxins!” We wouldn’t accomplish much during our work week if that was the case.

So who or WHAT is this power? Where does it come from?

This power is conducted and orchestrated through and over your Nervous System. The Nervous System is the Maestro in the body that conducts the processes of every other system in your body. It is comprised of your brain, spinal cord and all the nerves that run to each and every organ ,tissue, and cell in your body. When the Nervous System is able to function without the interference of a Subluxation (the thing which we as Chiropractors address), your body is able to receive all of the trillions of messages that your Nervous System is conducting! The result? an open, freely flowing, nothing-but-potential, healthy, happy, adaptable and evolving being!

So what conducts the Nervous System? Hmmm…. Without trying to sound macabre, What is the difference between someone who is living and someone who is dead? People who are no longer living still have a Nervous System, yes? What is that one (very important) thing that is the difference??? LIFE!!!

Yup. LIFE! …Can you see the source of life? can you touch it? can you smell it? eat it? hear it? Perhaps not, but you KNOW it is there, Yes? Hmmm. There is a BIG difference when something is expressing life, and when something is not, wouldn’t you say? LIFE is the POWER that is within us.

LIFE is the force, the INNATE INTELLIGENCE that takes up shop not only in us, but in the animals, the trees, the butterflies, the fishies. If this Life force in human beings works its magic over our Nervous System, wouldn’t you say that the Nervous System is a pretty important medium for Life to use as its canvas to create? Wouldn’t you say that it is important that the Nervous System has no interference in its ability to do its job? I think the answer is yes

This is the stage for why it is important to receive regular Chiropractic Care. We as Chiropractors are not here to heal you, to take away your pain, to mask your symptoms, or to fix you…. That is the Job of your INNATE INTELLIGENCE, your own healing power within!

We are facilitators, here to work WITH the natural processes in your body, not against it. We simply remove that which interferes with being able to express 100% Life! That is all. We let your body to heal ITSELF.

In this time of Health Care Chaos, it is time for use to acknowledge and observe this power that is within and to RECLAIM it. Take it back from the overabundance of messages we receive from the media and the pharmaceutical companies who tell us that we need to oversanitize, overmedicate, under trust and overdose on fear. We lived for thousands of years without ibuprofen, without pain killers, without treatments that chase to get rid of the messages in our bodies known as symptoms (which are the body’s natural way of telling us that there is dysfunction).

It is time to change health care into a HEALTHY CARING system.

It is my purpose and mission to help people realize that THEY HAVE THE POWER WITHIN THEM to heal. Because the TRUTH is that healing occurs from the INSIDE OUT.. not the other way around. And the even cooler thing? We have the ability to not just go back to the ‘way we were’ before disfunction and dis-ease occured, but we can reach higher and HIGHER states of health, vitality, well being and happiness in our lives. LIFE wants to express itself 100% We are nothing but pure power and potential.. how cool is that!?!

I am here, to give, to serve, and to love out of abundance. YOU have the power within you to be and do anything you want in this life and beyond…. I believe in the power in YOU!

With Gratitude,

Dr. Kacie