Why I Chose to Add Acupuncture to My Services True healing goes beyond simply addressing symptoms. It's about getting to the root cause , bringing the mind and body into harmony, and finding a path to real, lasting transformation. Acupuncture is one of those powerful tools I’ve chosen to offer because of its ability to support this deeper kind of healing. In my own journey with back pain , stress , sleep issues , and trauma , acupuncture became an essential part of my recovery. It’s gentle, yet profoundly effective, with minimal side effects. What’s even more remarkable is how healing happens in the body and with the body —working in alignment with your natural systems rather than against them. What Is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is an ancient practice that involves the insertion of small, painless needles into specific points on the body, which helps bring balance to the body's meridians . These needles work by stimulating substances in your nervous system and the extracellular matrix —the network between the cells of your body. The result? A cascade of healing effects that can improve both physical and mental well-being. What Can Acupuncture Help With? Research and clinical practice have shown that acupuncture can benefit a wide range of health issues, including: Reducing cravings (whether for sugar, nicotine, or other substances) Managing and reducing chronic pain Balancing hormones (such as for women in perimenopause or with conditions like PCOS) Improving mental well-being (reducing stress, anxiety, and enhancing sleep Chinese vs. Japanese Acupuncture: What’s the Difference? One of the most fascinating distinctions in acupuncture lies in the difference between Chinese and Japanese acupuncture styles. Chinese Acupuncture : Focuses on treating fixed anatomical points based on established meridians. Japanese Acupuncture : Centers around what practitioners call "alive points." These points are found using palpation (a hands-on approach to feel along the meridians) to identify where energy imbalances exist in the moment. Why Wait? Consider Acupuncture First, Not Last Many people turn to acupuncture only after other modalities have failed. But what if this powerful healing tool was used first , or at least alongside other treatments? Acupuncture can be an excellent complement to therapies like nutrition, physical therapy, or even counseling. The combination can create a more holistic and effective healing journey. Incorporating acupuncture may help speed up healing, enhance the effects of other treatments, and lead to a more balanced , harmonious life. Acupuncture has been a game-changer for me, and I am excited to share this journey with others. Whether you’re dealing with pain, cravings, or seeking better balance in your life, acupuncture is a gentle yet powerful modality that could make all the difference.

Experiences of pain and shock, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, can leave lasting scars on your mental and physical health. Recent research in the field of epigenetics has revealed that trauma can also leave molecular marks on our DNA, influencing gene expression without altering the genetic code itself. These changes can have profound implications for your health and can subsequent generations. Epigenetic modifications can be influenced by a variety of environmental factors, including diet, stress, and, notably, traumatic events. The Mechanisms of Trauma-Induced Epigenetic Changes DNA Methylation: DNA methylation involves the addition of a methyl group to the DNA molecule. Traumatic events have been shown to alter methylation patterns in genes associated with stress responses and emotional regulation. Yes, you can be more susceptible to anxiety. Histone Modification: Histones are proteins around which DNA is wrapped, and their chemical modification can affect gene accessibility and expression. Trauma can influence histone, these modifications can affect genes involved in neural plasticity, stress responses, and inflammation. Yes, you can develop autoimmune disease. Non-Coding RNAs: Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, can regulate gene expression, impacting genes related to brain function and stress responses. Yes, you can develop PTSD or depression. Is this evidence-based medicine or a marketing tactic? Childhood Trauma and DNA Methylation: Research has demonstrated that individuals who experienced severe childhood trauma exhibit distinct methylation patterns in genes associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a critical system in the body's stress response. Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance: Animal studies have provided evidence that the epigenetic effects of trauma can be passed down to offspring. Trauma and Brain Function: Trauma-induced epigenetic changes can impact brain function and structure. These changes can affect neural connectivity and brain regions associated with memory, emotion, and cognition. Trauma can have far-reaching effects on your epigenome, influencing gene expression and potentially contributing to the development of various health issues. At Salud Revisited we are elevating personalized medicine by offering 3x4 Genetic Tests and Genova Metabolomix+ Testing. So, this is no trick, schedule your FREE Optimize Your Genes call.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Personalized medicine, through the integration of genetics and epigenetics, offers new avenues for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease. Understanding the genetic and epigenetic factors that contribute to heart health can lead to more effective and individualized interventions. The Role of Genetics in Heart Health Genetic Predispositions: Certain genetic variations are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. For example, mutations in the LDLR gene can cause familial hypercholesterolemia, leading to high cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease. Similarly, variants in the APOE gene can influence lipid metabolism and cardiovascular risk. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS): Polygenic risk scores aggregate the effects of multiple genetic variants to estimate an individual's risk of developing heart disease. These scores can help identify individuals at high risk who may benefit from early and aggressive preventive measures. For instance, a high PRS for coronary artery disease can prompt proactive management of risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The Impact of Epigenetics on Heart Health Epigenetic Modifications and Cardiovascular Disease: Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, regulate gene expression involved in cardiovascular function and pathology. Environmental factors like diet, physical activity, and stress can induce epigenetic changes that impact heart health. Epigenetic Biomarkers: DNA methylation patterns in genes related to inflammation and endothelial function have been linked to the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension. These biomarkers can aid in early detection and monitoring of disease progression. Transgenerational Epigenetic Effects: Epigenetic changes induced by environmental factors and lifestyle can be passed down to subsequent generations. Maternal diet and stress levels during pregnancy can affect the epigenetic landscape of the offspring, influencing their risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life. Integration of Genetics and Epigenetics in Personalized Medicine for Heart Health Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Combining genetic and epigenetic information provides a more detailed risk assessment for cardiovascular diseases. Tailored Preventive Strategies: Personalized medicine can develop tailored preventive strategies based on an individual's genetic and epigenetic profile. Precision Treatment: Understanding both genetic and epigenetic factors can optimize treatment strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Personalized medicine, informed by genetics and epigenetics, needs to be an added tool in your heart health care plan. If you are an executive professional woman concerned about chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations? Do you want to strengthen your heart health naturally and live free of the fear of not being there for your loved ones? Are you tired of endless doctor visits, pills, and stressing about what and how to eat? Are you ready to finally break free from strict dieting? Then it is time for a functional approach to your health, schedule a FREE Optimize Your Gene call.

Personalized medicine is a transformative approach in healthcare, tailoring medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient. As our understanding of our genes and their regulation deepens, personalized medicine is poised to revolutionize the way we prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases. It is a new tool to help you stay healthy, wealthy, and free. The Role of Genetics Our genes provide the foundation for understanding how various genetic variations contribute to individual differences in disease susceptibility, drug responses, and overall health. Genetic Variability and Disease Risk: Individual genetic differences can significantly affect disease risk. For instance, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are linked to a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Genetic testing allows for the identification of such risk factors, enabling preventive measures or early interventions. Pharmacogenomics: Pharmacogenomics examines how genes affect a person's response to drugs. Genetic testing can guide physicians in selecting the right medication and dosage, minimizing adverse effects, and maximizing efficacy. The Impact of Epigenetics Epigenetics are the changes in gene expression influenced by various factors, including environment, lifestyle, and disease states. Epigenetic Modifications: Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA interaction can regulate gene activity. These modifications can be influenced by external factors like diet, stress, and exposure to toxins, which in turn affect an individual's health and disease risk. Disease Detection and Treatment: Epigenetic markers are increasingly being used in disease detection and treatment. For example, abnormal DNA methylation patterns are associated with various cancers and can serve as early biomarkers for detection. Genetics and Epigenetics Power Tools for Personalized Medicine The marriage of genetics and epigenetics offers a comprehensive understanding of your health. Integrating these fields can enhance the precision of your personalized healthcare plan. Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Combining genetic and epigenetic information provides a more complete picture of disease risk. For instance, while genetic predispositions can indicate potential health issues, epigenetic modifications can reveal how lifestyle and environmental factors might influence gene expression and actual disease manifestation. Personalized medicine, underpinned by advances in genetics and epigenetics, holds the promise of more precise, effective, and individualized healthcare. At Salud Revisited we offer Genova Genetic Testing, which includes methylation study. So, if you think this is a marketing gimmick, still schedule your FREE call Optimize Your Genes.

Personalized medicine, leveraging the advancements in genetics and epigenetics, is transforming our understanding of metabolic health and dysfunction. Metabolic disorders, such as obesity, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, have complex etiologies influenced by genetic predispositions and environmental factors. Personalized medicine, through genetic and epigenetic insights, can enhance the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of metabolic disorders. Why is this important? Genetic variations play a significant role in determining your susceptibility to metabolic disorders. Polygenic risk scores, which aggregate the effects of numerous genetic variants, can predict your risk of developing metabolic disorders. These scores can guide personalized prevention strategies. The Impact of Epigenetics on Metabolic Health Environmental factors, including diet, physical activity, and stress, can induce epigenetic changes that impact metabolic health. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy can have lasting epigenetic effects on the offspring's metabolic health. Identifying epigenetic biomarkers can improve the diagnosis and prognosis of metabolic disorders. Integration of Genetics and Epigenetics in Personalized Medicine - How Your Healthcare Plan Can Be Elevated Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Combining genetic and epigenetic data provides a more complete picture of your risk for metabolic disorders. For example, while genetic testing might reveal a predisposition to obesity, epigenetic analysis can show how lifestyle factors are modulating this risk. Targeted Interventions: Personalized medicine can tailor interventions based on genetic and epigenetic profiles. Individuals with a genetic predisposition to insulin resistance but favorable epigenetic markers might respond well to dietary interventions, while those with adverse epigenetic changes might benefit from more aggressive medical treatments. Precision Nutrition: Precision nutrition aims to optimize dietary recommendations based on an individual's genetic and epigenetic makeup. For example, genetic variations in the TCF7L2 gene affect an individual's response to dietary fat and carbohydrate intake, influencing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Personalized dietary plans can help mitigate these risks and promote metabolic health. So, maybe you are tired of trying diet, exercise, and pills. You wonder if there is something else going on in your body that your blood sugar numbers and cholesterol do not improve. You have big challenges losing weight and feeling tired all day, no matter how well you sleep. If you are an influential professional woman who is struggling with your metabolic health, you do not need to feel like a failure or that it is your fault. Consider personalized medicine. Schedule your free Optimize Your Genes call.

If you have an autoimmune condition that affects your joints and you live with redness, swelling, or pain this fun conversation with Dr. Dada from Bellevue, WA will provide you with some tools and ideas to use movement, specifically yoga, to improve your mobility so you can enjoy life and live pain-free. Watch the video on YouTube, Dr. Dada's channel, Healthy Joints - Healthy Life, is full of great info.

Join me in an inspiring conversation with Dr. Jedha from Diabetes Meal Plans as we talk about the importance of NOT a "one-size fits all" approach to your health journey and how embracing what makes you human should be above chasing symptoms. Listen to the podcast HERE.

I work daily with many professional women who have prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes who struggle to lower their blood sugar levels. And to be honest I hear the same struggles from each one and answer the same questions every day. So, I am going to break them down here... Challenge #1: I do not know what to eat, because eating healthy does not taste good. Usually, is not that people "do not know". I find that people are confused and overwhelmed with all the noise in the media...keto, portion control, carnivore diet, intermittent fasting...which one will work? Yes, there is a lot of nutrition information that can be simplified to eat more plant-rich fiber (I did not say salads only! And then add quality protein and fat. Finally, eliminate sources of sugar and reduce saturated fat. Many times the "healthy food does not taste good" is a combination of taste buds exposed for many years to hyperpalable foods and mindset. We have been exposed to food that is packaged with sugar, salt, and fat. These activate dopamine and opioid receptors in the brain. Aka, they taste good and make you feel good...so you eat more of them, and the cycle continues. Many people are stuck. Does eating healthy mean a boring iceberg lettuce salad? Nope! Opening ourselves to trying new foods and meals rich in fiber and low in saturated fat will give you plenty of tasty options. Challenge #2: I can not give up sugar! I crave sugar. First, you do not need to refine sugar to survive. The sugar that is already in food items like fruits, veggies, legumes, and grains is what your body needs to function. Second, eliminating table sugar and artificial sweeteners will have many health benefits. Consider using monk fruit, Stevia, and agave for healthier options to add sweetness to your taste buds. Third, cravings...they will dissipate, but your brain needs time. Your body is not a microwave! The more you give into the refined/table sugar craving the longer it will take to heal your brain. When your body wants something sweet go for fruit, movement, and breath. Challenge #3: I do not have time. Let me ask you a question...How many years younger do want to die? How many years do you want to live with a disability? Cooking healthy meals can be done in 30 minutes or less and give you back years to your life. Have you thought of kitchen hacks to help you prep food faster without sacrificing health? Many little things can be added on. We have become so used to "fast food" and "microwave", but these are cheap options that will produce cheap results when it comes to balancing your blood sugar levels. If any of these sound like your challenges, I offer a FREE Sugar Balance Assessment call for successful professional women in Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington living with prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.

Cholesterol is what forms the outer shell of our cells. It is also essential to make hormones like testosterone and cortisol. Also, it manufactures vitamins in your body, like vitamin D, and aids in the digestion of food. Your body makes cholesterol in the liver. Thus, we really do not need to consume cholesterol in our diets. Because cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, proteins must carry it. When cholesterol binds to proteins, that are known as lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are what are measured in the typical cholesterol or lipid panel. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) - Helps bring cholesterol back to the liver, the home of it. It reduces the build-up of plaques in the arteries, which is the type of cholesterol you want "high,", especially for women as they lose their estrogen. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) - The most predominant type, builds plaque in the arteries. When you want to interpret your cholesterol results, doctors look at the following: LDL total number Total cholesterol-to-HDL ratio - these numbers provide more information about your coronary heart disease risk. The higher the ratio, the higher the risk for cardiovascular events Ideally, the ratio should be below 5:1. Other lab tests/blood work tests that can enhance the interpretation of cholesterol levels are Apo B levels in patients with an intermediate risk for cardiovascular events - since it is a better measurement of atherogenic plaques. You should get this test once a year. hs-CRP in patients with an intermediate risk for cardiovascular events Lpa allows your doctor to know your genetic risk of developing heart disease due to cholesterol plaques. You should have this test once in your lifetime. Intermediate risk for cardiovascular events is defined as a 10%-20% risk of heart attack in the next 10 years. Sometimes, it might be challenging to have your medical insurance pay for the test mentioned above, but these can be as cheap as $6.00 Sometimes, patients ask me how much is impacted by my diet versus genetics? Both play a role. Genetic conditions: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be caused by inherited changes (mutations) in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes, which affect how your body regulates and removes cholesterol from your blood. Familial hypercholesterolemia affects 1 in 250 persons. Lifestyle Behaviors will significantly impact both cholesterol numbers and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. These include how you choose to nourish your food and move your body. But we also know that when stress levels are high, hormones like cortisol and adrenaline increase levels of triglycerides in the blood. Triglycerides, a form of super energy in the body, can increase your LDL cholesterol levels. Specifically, I tell my patients to limit their sources of animal foods as much as possible (meats, eggs, cow milk, and its products, poultry, and fish). Be aware of baked goods and coconut oil used in these. Physical activity, especially cardio, increases HDL, helping lower the cholesterol. So, how does a holistic physician help patients lower their cholesterol? Lifestyle interventions in the areas of food, movement, and smoking cessation. Morning oats breakfast with added wheat germ, try doing an oat porridge with either cauliflower or lentils; natural plant sterols (nuts and seeds) added to your salads, smoothies, breakfast and snacks. Add garlic to your food, cooked well to avoid abdominal bloating. Supplements: Red yeast for some patients Finally, if none of these have helped, your total cholesterol is above 150, and LDL is above 70, a statin can be an option. For people with heart disease or diabetes, statin is worth discussing with your doctor. If this content is useful for you share with your friends and family.

I was recently featured on the Get Healthy Tampa Bay podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller, owner of Clear Water Family Medicine, talking about blood sugar levels. While on the podcast, we discussed the integration of lifestyle and integrative medicine, particularly for professional women in Texas, and Maria's journey and development of the Type 2 Diabetes Transformation Method. Watch the interview on YouTube. I hope you get a chance to check it out and come back to let me know what you think! Have questions about your blood sugar levels? Send me a message and I will email you back.

I read a very interesting article from the Tribune that stated that people in East Texas are diagnosed at a higher rate with Type 2 Diabetes than the rest of the population in the United States. But this statement caught my attention: "Doctor’s visits are recommended at least twice a year; four if treatment goals aren’t being met." I have been a physician for 14 years. I have worked in the health and wellness industry for the past 24 years, and I was a child growing up with Type 2 Diabetes. I will disagree with this 100%...maybe that is the reason people are still sick. The typical 3-month doctor appointment just means getting labs, vitals, and adjusting meds. Maybe check your feet, depression, and eyes. And, of course, med refills. In my experience, this care does not help patients achieve remission of Type 2 Diabetes. Patients need intensive care and support, especially at the beginning and when A1c is two digits. An appointment every six months is something I would recommend to one of my patients who has achieved remission and sustained it for the past 12 months. (ADA defines remission in 3 months, but the reality is that sustaining it beyond that is what is essential.) The National Diabetes Prevention Program, for example, offers weekly appointments for 1 hour for the first six months and then monthly. And if you already have Type 2 Diabetes, you need this intensive support. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine called it Intensive Therapeutic Lifestyle Behaviors. While the Diabetes self-management education program helps patients learn how to live with Type 2 Diabetes, it does not necessarily achieve remission, AKA A1c less than 5.7%. So, as a person who lived with Type 2 Diabetes, I decided to use my medical, health, and wellness knowledge to develop an intensive 12-week group medical appointment program called the Type 2 Diabetes Transformation Method. I am sharing the root cause of Type 2 Diabetes in my FREE masterclass: Type 2 Diabetes Transformation Masterclass: How To Transform Your Metabolism and Balance Your Blood Sugar When Living with Type 2 Diabetes. So, if you are a successful professional woman in Texas living with Type 2 Diabetes, join me for FREE HERE.

I sat down with Sherlene Lynch and Rose Davidson from the Healing Through Love Podcast in Australia to discuss how trauma and painful events affect our physiology and health. In episode EP85, I delve into the intricate chemistry of the body under the impact of repetitive chronic trauma. These changes, often unseen, manifest in medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. I emphasize the importance of including gentle body modalities in the healing process to restore balance within our bodies. You can also catch this fun conversation via video HERE.