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Over the last 20 years our homes and environment have seen a huge increase in electronic devices and our dependence on them has grown as well. When I was a child, Wi-Fi didn’t exist, a car phone was the coolest thing to have on our block, and we had one family computer (which was HUGE by the way) that was kept in a common room in our house. Now, everything is so different and some of us have started to notice that our bodies don’t function at their best when they are constantly bombarded with electrical energy from countless devices all day and all night.

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is a term used to describe a set of symptoms caused by electrical impulses. Those impulses can come from any combination of the following:
• Electric radiation. Examples of this include ungrounded electronics, lamps and lighting, and power strips.
• Magnetic radiation. Includes chargers for electronics, high voltage power lines, and electrical panels,
• Dirty electricity. Includes fluorescent light bulbs, dimmer switches, and smart televisions.
• Radio frequencies. Includes microwave ovens, Wi-Fi, cellular devices, products with Bluetooth, and smart meters.

People of all ages can develop EHS, however, kids are more susceptible to the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation. Because their skulls are thinner and their bodies are made up of more water than an adult’s, the frequencies can have a greater effect upon them.

Some of the symptoms of EHS include (can range from mild to severe): Problems sleeping, headaches, fatigue, nausea, burning and itchy skin, muscle aches, and trouble concentrating or learning.

Many of these symptoms may have multiple causes. However, if these symptoms are worse after using or being surrounded by sources of electromagnetic frequencies, then this could be a sign of EHS.

If your child has EHS or is exhibiting signs of it, there are many things you can do to begin to remedy it including:

1. Reduce the exposure. By reducing or eliminating the sources that are causing your child’s symptoms you will help them to begin to heal and recover. To learn tips and tricks on how to do this in the easiest way possible, go to www.emf-detox.com. I have many free videos on this very topic for you to explore.
2. Clean up your child’s diet. Eating vitamin rich, organic fruits and vegetables along with probiotic foods can help give them the nutrients that they need in order to begin to heal.
3. Add supplements to their daily routine. On a case-by-case basis, there are different supplements that your child may be able to take to help their body combat the oxidative stress from electromagnetic radiation.

If you suspect that your child may have a sensitivity to electronics then give my office a call and schedule a 15-minute complimentary consultation with me. This will give you, your child, and I, a chance to sit down and discuss the concerns that you have. This will help me to determine if there is a possibility between your child’s symptoms and electric frequencies and I will let you know if there is anything that I can do to help.

For additional information on working together, go to: www.alignhealingcenter.com

For more information about how to reduce the sources of electromagnetic frequencies in your home, go to: www.emf-detox.com

Dr. Kristin Moore, DC is a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor at Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. She offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to the readers of ALIVE magazine. Call Dr. Kristin at (925) 362-8283 to schedule your appointment.

Only in the last three decades has the medical community become acutely aware of the many causes and effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). By correcting my own OSA, I have experienced a dramatic change in not only my health, but the rate of my aging. It’s normal for those of us that are achieving larger numbers on our birthday cakes to take care of our OSA, but do you know that your grandchildren can experience life altering disabilities as a result of not acknowledging and treating this problem?

In the case of children, the major factors causing OSA are hereditary, dietary and environmental causes, plus adenoid and tonsil problems. In adults the factors increase to include being a male, being over 40, having a neck measuring over 17 inches for men and 16 inches for women. Other factors include family history of OSA, allergies and sinus problems, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), and obesity.

Untreated OSA has a terrible influence on all aspects of life. Isn’t it logical to realize that if your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen and isn’t allowed to be cleansed by deep sleep, it might not function to its best ability?

Not getting proper sleep can result in a multitude of symptoms that will lead you to seek medical attention and possibly receive inappropriate drugs with additional side effects. I see this frequently in my practice. In children, untreated OSA can cause behavioral problems, difficulty with learning and concentration, and even ADHD. In adults untreated OSA can cause metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or heart problems, irritability, vehicle crashes, loss of libido, liver problems, complications with medications and surgeries, weight gain, and can even reduce immune system performance.

What is beyond ridiculous is that all this doesn’t have to happen. Listen to your children sleep. Listen to your spouse sleep. If the kids snore, especially, if they occasionally gasp and move, have them see a sleep specialist. If you have any questions, or if as an adult you have OSA symptoms, call my office.

Typical symptoms can include daytime sleepiness, snoring, dreams of drowning, lack of dreams, foggy brain on awakening, insomnia, lack of energy, and forgetfulness.

What is really important is that if not treated, your morbidity and incidence of illnesses will increase. The chance of being in an accident greatly increases as well as the likelihood of dementia and accelerated aging.

The good news is that OSA can be corrected. If you have any doubt, call us at the Advanced Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Center, 925-837-8048. Whatever your problem, we will do our best to get you to the proper professional treatment in order to give you the best of care.

What exactly is restless leg syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by throbbing, pulling, creeping, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them. Symptoms occur primarily at night when a person is relaxing or at rest and can increase in severity during the night. Moving the legs relieves the discomfort, which can range in severity from uncomfortable or irritating to painful.

The most distinctive or unusual aspect of RLS that lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms. Most people with RLS have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Left untreated, the condition causes exhaustion and daytime fatigue. Many people with RLS report that their job, personal relations, and activities of daily living are strongly affected as a result of their sleep deprivation.

Who’s at risk for RLS?
• Individuals with iron deficiency anemia
• Individuals on antidepressant medication
• Pregnant women
• Frequent blood donors
• Those who have undergone gastric surgery
• Chronic smokers and alcoholics
• Individuals under chronic stress
• Children with ADD/ADHD

RLS drugs and their side effects

The drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of RLS are Mirapex, Neupro and Requip. These medications (originally developed for treatment of Parkinson’s disease) work by making dopamine more available to receptors. These medications can have side effects from nausea, depression, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and impulse control disorders. RLS will certainly affect quality of life, but so do these other severe side effects. Research is now revealing the significant role of nutrition, and other natural approaches to RLS.

Key ingredients to reduce RLS
RLS has been linked to low levels of dopamine. The neurotransmitter Dopamine is an important messenger in the brain helping to regulate much of our body’s functions, including thinking, behavior, mood, and especially in the case of RLS, rest and movement. Low levels of dopamine can trigger the urge to move our limbs, as found in RLS. Both iron and folate play key roles in the production of dopamine. Magnesium and zinc levels also have an impact on RLS.

I personally believe in running specific blood tests in order to zero in on what is deficient in each individual to ensure the most effective outcome. Micronutrient Testing allows a person to know exactly what to eat and specifically what to supplement in order to support the healing of their RLS.

Healing your RLS
Conditions like restless legs syndrome can significantly interrupt daily life. At Align we work to figure out what the body needs, and provide that in a course of treatment. Through natural techniques based in science such as specialty lab testing, personalized supplementation, low force chiropractic to restore nerve function and laser therapy to speed up the healing process we can correct the critical imbalances causing the RLS. There is nothing more gratifying than helping a patient resolve an issue utilizing natural therapies that give them their life back.

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC is the owner of Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. For more information or to set up a complimentary consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com.

Say what you will about 2017, but there’s no getting around the fact that last year was the year of the brow. From bold to super arched, to ultra-thick, it seemed like the ultra- thick brows were the new must-have, and trends changed faster than we could scroll through Instagram.

Now that 2018 is well underway we can say goodbye to that bold arched eyebrow and say hello to a gentle looking natural brow.

If you’re a bit wary about plucking away at your brows on your own, book a consultation with an expert brow artist near you. And if you weren’t #blessed with the thick, fluffy brows of your dreams, there are endless ways to make them look thicker and fuller, whether it be a brow balm, brow growth serum, texturing brow gel or a good old-fashioned eyebrow pencil. There are so many ways to reshape the brows and make them look magazine ready and gorgeous—just ask your brow artist.

At The Rouge Cosmetics they like to shape the brows according to each individual’s face shape and what can realistically be done. The key to having good brows is all about their shape, and every person needs something different. You cannot use a stencil to shape your brows, as they will end up too short or misaligned with the center being “off.” And by all means, do not go to a nail salon to get you’re your eyebrows shaped, as they do not have the knowledge nor the experience to shape brows; only licensed brow artists are “in the know.”

Ditch the dark pencil and bold eyebrow look—it is so “last year”—2018 is here, and trends are changing for the better. This year is the year of super natural brows along with glowing skin, lightly enhanced eyes, and beautiful pink pouts.

Tons of make-up junkies will still do wacky things for Instagram, but that shouldn’t stop you from having the best brows of your life offline. Most girls and young teens can do a straight brow (barely touched) as is popular with the Youtube set. It will look super natural and have a nice, forward, trendy look.

Framing the eye is essential in mastering beauty. Grooming eyebrows with a soft arch is not only beautiful, it enhances the eyes bringing more focus to the eye itself and it is extremely fashion-forward as of late.

The Rouge offers expert eyebrow shaping and brow updating, along with many tools to enhance brows, including brow balms, texturing gels, brow growth serums, brow pencils and brow highlighters.

Stop by and try a little confidence booster, while looking fabulous this year with the new look in brows.