"....Collateral damage". In war, there is a legal concept that exists where there is some "acceptable level" of damage to innocent bystanders. This is decided upon by those who are deciding the rules of engagement.
But what if..... the collateral damage (casualty list) is greater than the casualty list of the soldiers fighting? In my opinion, I'd start to question the intelligence and allegiance of who is directing the lobbing of the bombs (or whatever other method of destruction is being used).
To Date: 1,053,828 (over 1 million ) C O V D Jab adverse events reported in the USA alone. https://openvaers.com/ . This includes 22,193 jab reported deaths. (and we know that these numbers are MUCH MUCH higher according to a Harvard Study).
Recent news is revealing more and more each day about the real C O V D death numbers and the actual numbers of people dying FROM Covid are quite different from those dying WITH Covid. Comorbidities (2.9 on average) and the sheer inaccuracy of PCR testing           ( https://childrenshealthdefense.org/.../pcr-testing.../ ) ..... but I digress.
When the numbers affecting those who have been "collaterally damaged" surpasses those who were killed fighting a war, there's a problem. We've long arrived at that problem.
Risk versus benefit is something medical professionals should be well trained in. It's something we should all be trained in just in day to day living. We are the CEO of ourselves. As the CEO, the health of each of our "companies" is dependent upon risk versus benefit analysis.
Run your body the way you'd run a business. (Accurate) numbers don't lie.
xoxo~ liz

Button below has the link to the VAERS website.

Dopamine Deficiency Part II: The Medication Connection

When the topic of substance abuse is broached, the neurotransmitter dopamine is often brought into the conversation. Recalling our earlier discussion, dopamine contributes to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction and directly influences the way our brain achieves happiness by “guiding” our behavior to get to that feeling. Heroin, cocaine, and MDMA (ecstasy) are three of the bigger illicit guns that initially trigger a surge of dopamine in the body. Sugar also induces a massive (but short lived) dopamine surge.  The body is filled with protective mechanisms (thankfully!), and if dopamine surges continue, a mechanism will kick in that reduces the number of dopamine receptors available for triggering. Consequently, it becomes harder and harder to achieve the same feelings of pleasure. As you may have already guessed, common opioid prescription medications do this too especially when used chronically. Some offenders would include:
💊Hydrocodone
💊Codeine
💊Tramadol 
When you review the introduction to dopamine deficiency (see Part I), you’ll notice that neurodegenerative conditions, chronic back pain, aches and pains,  and persistent constipation are symptoms of deficiency. Those are also four very common complaints in people who use these pain medications chronically. Certainly, other factors are involved as well (do some digging!), but dopamine deficiency plays a significant role.
Dopamine sabotage by way of medication💊 is also an unfortunate common side effect of drugs that block dopamine binding to receptor sites. When a medication does this, dopamine cannot “do its work” in the body. 
💊Haloperidol is used to treat schizophrenia, Tourettes, and severe behavioral problems in children and adults. 
💊Risperidone is used to treat schizophrenia, disinterest in life, strong or "inappropriate" emotions, or disturbed thinking.
💊Metoclopramide is used to treat GERD, nausea/ vomiting, and slowed gut motility.
💊Olanzapine, Aripiprazole, Quetiapine are used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
💊Buspirone is used to treat anxiety.
🧐If you were to pick up and read a package insert on each of these medications, you would find side effects listed giving evidence of dopamine deficiency (refer to Part I for symptoms).
What I write next might be the most technical and one of the most important concepts to understand in this entire book, so stay with me…. even if the slogging feels uphill! According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 1 in 5 adults have a mood disorder in the USA. Sadly, when prowling around the NIMH website, I found very little in the way of suggesting lab work to rule out a hormonal, thyroid, or nutrient imbalance, or selfcare suggestions (clean diet, well developed exercise routines, tips on improved sleep hygiene, or connecting with a high frequency community, and most importantly, having a personal relationship with God). The website is quick to advocate for mental health medicating. Go figure.
💊Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) are a class of drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Common SSRI’s include 💊Citalopram, 💊, Fluoxetine, 💊Paroxetine, and 💊Sertraline.  By definition, this class of drugs is supposed to be “selective” in their mechanism of action, and while they are marketed as products that raise serotonin in the brain, they simultaneously lower dopamine levels significantly.  Additionally, there is very strong evidence that, depending on the individual and the SSRI used, there may be a significant effect on the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis in the brain, where cortisol,  hormones (including serotonin and dopamine) are regulated and long term memories are stored. The hypothalamus and the pituitary play a significant role in regulating the thyroid. You may imagine how important all of this is in balanced overall body and brain function.
I offer this information to you as clues, not  as medical direction or individualized medical advice. Risk versus benefit should always be first and foremost whenever utilizing a medication, especially one that modulates “motherboard” (brain) activity. I read one doctor’s thoughts recently who described antidepressant use as a “sledgehammer to repair a fine watch.” Does the tool fit the need? That is only for you and your healthcare provider to decide.
Last week, I listened to a podcast that dovetailed into this topic. It is called “Unscientific Diagnoses Medicalize Normal Human Experience”. I’ve posted a link to this 30 minute podcast on my blog (found on my website www.goodmedicine.info). You won’t regret listening to it. We must get back to living in tightly knit communities where we love and care for one another well while also learning that experiencing emotions in a healthy manner is part of vibrant living. I’m so very very thankful for Young Living, because we exemplify that community, and there is plenty of room at the table for everyone who wants to #knowbetteranddobetter for themselves and their families.
We live in a broken world that is bandaged by a broken medical system. I encourage you to use your finely tuned tools for finely tuned processes in the body. Whenever possible, leave the sledgehammer in the shed.
Next week, I’ll discuss readily available inexpensive tools to help support optimal dopamine levels. 
Until then~ 
xoxo, Liz
#caringissharing
#knowbetterdobetter
#dopamineisdope
#balanceddopamineisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine
#BecomingYourOwnHealthDetective
#ThanksYL

​(If you answered #2, you’d be correct!)

​Last week, as I was getting ready at my hotel for a leadership conference, I listened to this mic🎤 💥drop podcast: "Unscientific Diagnoses Medicalize Normal Human Experiences".  I sat down late that night to share it with you all.... and wouldn't you know it, the black hole of social media oblivion swallowed it when I hit "post". So, here I am... back home ..... trying again! Yes, this information is THAT important... that I'm willing to write about it twice. 
We are taught how to think. All of us. Healthcare professionals and laypersons alike. However, what we are taught isn't necessarily true. Nonetheless, we believe and act upon those beliefs. This podcast shatters some of those beliefs that surround mental illness.
Key points of the podcast:
* There is no research evidence for a chemical imbalance that leads to mental health problems. Example: Low serotonin levels are blamed for depression. This is an overly simplistic myth perpetuated by Big Pharma. The reality is that serotonin levels cannot be easily measured in the brain (if at all). 
* Where do ideas about the cause of mental distress come from? We (as a cumulative society) are led to believe they come from a chemical imbalance as perpetuated by prescribing physicians, pharmaceutical ads (a pill will fix ya), pop culture (normalization of a pill for everything), and interaction with family and friends who endorse the "pharmaceutical fix" model. (note: in cultures where Big Pharma 💊 doesn't have a big footprint, mental health disorders are quite low.)
* Side effects of antidepressants include chronic depression (that's a fact).
Normal human experience includes suffering in life. Suffering may mean something different to each of us. Perhaps it is grief, social shyness, disappointment, fear, angst, or __________ (fill in your blank). Experiencing  suffering does not mean the  brain is broken..... it just means you (we) all are living a human experience and processing emotions as we go. Don't get me wrong..... psych medications definitely numb the mind and do so without differentiation. When suffering is numbed, so is joy.  Psych meds could be considered an emotional anesthesia, but here's the thing..... anesthesia by itself doesn't heal does it? Acknowledging the problem and then working on the root cause is wherein lies healing (and living fully). 
Community, whether that be family, friends, or a combination of the two is balm to healing. Generational curses (Biblically speaking) are very real, more real, I would argue (based on science and the word of God) than an estimated low neurotransmitter in the brain. Generational curses can be broken. It starts with us to break them. Purposefully and intentionally.
Find your tribe friends. We were not meant to be islands. We are to lean on one another in times of joy and in need. Yes we have tools of all variety available to us of the natural variety in addition to the Big Pharma ones. Do you want numbing or do you want deep true healing? 
No medical advice given here, other than this: Know truth and then do with it what you will. It just might change your life.
Oh.... final thought and not mentioned in the podcast. There are MANY biological imbalances that can aggravate emotional peaks and valleys. Hormones, thyroid, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are not uncommon culprits, but it takes a good sleuth willing to spend the time looking for the clues. These ARE measurable in the body. Request comprehensive labwork before accepting any prescription. If your doctor or insurance company won't honor this request (and I do mean comprehensive!), find one that will. 
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info (If you have questions about what comprehensive labwork looks like, let's chat!)
#sharingiscaring
#livinglifetoitsfullest
#emotionsarepartofliving
#processingemotionsisgoodmedicine
#ThanksYL 

Click black box below for full article.

​Isn't that snapshot of the microbiome on that child's hand beautiful? Pretty is as pretty does. Our body NEEDS cooties. Without them, we'd be in a sorry state. Take care of whatcha got, and work to create diversity among the community within you. You won't regret it! 😉
xoxo~ liz

The microbiome is truly beautiful! 🍄

*This is the hand of an 8-year-old boy who placed his hand on a petri dish after coming inside from playing. Now I am sure at first glance you thought to yourself how disgusting this is and how this MUST be a bad thing, however, it is actually the contrary

* First I want to point out that we are made up of more foreign matter than we are our own cellular DNA. Let me explain, there are more microbes in and on your body that quantitatively make up more cells than the ones that are YOU

* The microbiota is said to be about 1.3 for every 1 cell that is our own. These microbes are responsible for keeping us healthy, digesting our food, creating nutrients, assimilating our vitamins/minerals, the processing of our information/neurotransmitters, our immunity and nearly every process and mechanism in the entire body. They exist in your mouth, on your skin and most importantly in your gut. (Terrain)

* With the continuous rise of industrialized farming, environmental toxins, and even the overuse of hand sanitizers, we are not only depleting the microbes in our soil but the ones on our bodies, too. This is like taking down our force field and allowing the pathogenic bacteria, viruses, mold, and other pathogens to infiltrate. .

* This post is to continue to create awareness that bacteria/fungus/viruses are not truly “bad,” and we must support a healthy microbiome inside/out. THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS and we must respect life even down to its smallest counterparts

* The avg. human should have about 3.5lbs of gut flora in the intestines, however, on the standard American diet of overly processed/refined foods and the overconsumption of pesticides/insecticides, as well as the other near 80K man-made chemicals we interact with daily, we would be lucky to have a couple ounces

* Do your best to avoid high 💯 alcohol-based hand sanitizers as they kill our first line of defense, the same for your mouth, avoid using alcohol-based mouthwashes and synthetic chemicals in/on your bodies; you want to support our little friends, not kill them off. 👾 

* PARENTS this is especially important for your developing children and THEIR microbiome!

 @tasturm1
⌨️ @dr.josepharena 
Shared from Beautiful Beginnings 

Here are a few articles regarding Cannabis and infection prevention:

​I sure do love my Jordan. She is a firecracker, owns her own gym and online fitness program, and  I'm blessed to be her godmother! Keep on speaking truth girl... the world needs to hear you! 😘

At what point in our life do we go from celebrating our weight to obsessing over it?

My 4 year old steps on the scale and says, “I weigh 45 inches!!” and we all celebrate how much she’s growing (We’re working on correct measurements hehe)

My 7 year old grabs her cute little belly and says “I got a lotta muffins and pop tarts in there” and we all giggle.

But my 23 year old client really wants to lose 10lbs.

My 60 year old client is frustrated the scale hasn’t moved after weeks of trying.

It’s okay if you’re a kid.
It’s okay if you’re pregnant.
It’s okay if you’re old.
It’s okay if you’re sick.
It’s okay if you’re handicapped.

But if you’re between 15 and 60 and there’s nothing fundamentally “wrong” with your body’s ability to lose weight….. You 👏🏼better 👏🏼get 👏🏼it ! together! 

No, I call bull shit.
THROW AWAY THE SCALE, SIS.

It literally means nothing.

We KNOW that someone can be unhealthy and weigh 125 while someone else can be at their healthiest and weigh 175. 

But we obsess, anyway.

It’s not moving. It’s not working. We’re failing. We’re gross. We should be embarrassed. This is dumb. Why do we even try.

NO 

It is working. Our health does matter. We shouldn’t be embarrassed. We are not failing. We can do it.

And the scale has nothing to do with any of it.

If you eat out every meal, make some adjustments. If you still drink 5 sodas a day, do a little better. If you know you could have a more balanced diet, add some fruits and veggies in. If you know you’re not currently at your healthiest, start being consistent in building better habits.

Our health is about how we feel, how our clothes fit, how well we can now get down and back up without hurting, how well we can play with our babies, how living feels better now than it used to, how we treat people better because we’re in a better mood, how we crave good food because we know we worked out hard that day.

It’s not the scale, sis.
It never will be. 

​Good morning friends! I've spent the last two days driving to Salt Lake City with a beautiful soul and new "in person" friend.  I've jokingly said we just had 2 days of speed dating that have fast forwarded our friendship. ❤(This is an absolute perk of Young Living..... the community is solid and if you are looking for like minded people to connect deeply with, hop in..... everyone is welcome!) 
Stacy has some seriously amazing CD's that I have had the pleasure of listening to. She is going to give me access to them so I will be able to share with my YL tribe.❤🙏❤
I want you to listen to this short audio I captured from one of the CD's. Never doubt that Gary Young wasn't passionate about following God and why he fought so hard to get people to care for themselves. 
We are here for a purpose, and we can't do what we are called to do if our temple is in disrepair.
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info (let's connect!)
#sharingiscaring 
#tribelove 
#ThanksYL
#respectandhonoryourtemple 
#goodmedicine
#Becomingyourownhealthdetective

​It's going to be an amazing three days of education in SLC! #ThanksYL #RoadWarriors

​              "For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
​                discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you. " ~ Proverbs 2:10-11

Dopamine Deficiency: Part I
“Motivator molecule.”
“Feel good brain juice”
“Reward chemical”
Dopamine is all those things and more. It’s a “VIP” neurotransmitter produced within the body whose job description is critical for optimal brain and body function. While dopamine occupies less than 1% of the neuron real estate in the brain, it is a key ingredient for important and finely tuned tasks:
*Controls flow of information within the brain
*Holds a critical role in memory, attention, and problem solving
*Contributes to motor skills and cognitive abilities
*Plays a supportive role in reproduction
*Activates reward and pleasure centers in the brain
*Holds a key role in attention and learning
*Reduces insulin levels in the body
*Protects the digestive system
*Influences the immune system
*Strongly affects mood and emotions
Dopamine is one of the most widely studied neurotransmitters, and yet there is still so much to discover. There is no direct way to measure levels of dopamine in the brain, so healthcare professionals must evaluate clues just like we are about to do: symptoms, lifestyle habits, medical and medication history are all important factors in becoming aware of what a dopamine deficiency might look like. I often wonder how we operate as we do, given the millions of things that can go wrong in the human body. Thankfully, God designed each body with the incredible ability to restore balance if given the correct tools and time to do so. 
Do you remember how easily the gut can be brought out of balance with a pesky virus  or an overpopulation of an aggressive bacteria or fungi? The same is true with dopamine.  Incrementally small swings of dopamine can make a big impact in either direction. Too much dopamine can lead to some pretty challenging mental health disorders. Dopamine deficiency can be mild or it can be major. Major dopamine deficiency is linked to Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, major depressive disorder, certain neurodegenerative disorders, and addictions. Identifying a dopamine deficiency trend early on allows for the time and tools to assist in bringing the body back into balance. I’ll wager that some of these clues may surprise you:
🔎Struggle to handle stress well (often leading to feelings of hopelessness and low self esteem)
🔎Carbohydrate and sugar cravings
🔎Chronic back pain
🔎Persistent constipation
🔎Poor blood sugar stability
🔎Weight fluctuations
🔎Lack of motivation (may show up as learning difficulties)
🔎Impulsiveness (Alleviates feelings of loneliness and sadness. Self gratification is used to “force” a dopamine drop that ultimately only creates more depletion long term.
🔎Difficulty organizing thoughts or staying productive
🔎Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
🔎Restless legs
🔎Tremor in the hands
🔎Cold hands or feet
🔎Fatigue or low energy
🔎Attention difficulties (may include a diagnosis of ADD/ ADHD)
🔎Reduced libido
🔎Low moods / depression
🔎Muscle cramps, spasms, or tremors
🔎Stiffness, aches or pains that have no cause
🔎GERD
🔎Lack of insight or self awareness
How does a dopamine deficiency happen? Three possibilities exist: too little dopamine is being made, dopamine receptors are being hindered or are not available in the numbers needed, or dopamine is being broken down before it can be utilized.  Neurotransmitters are just as much a product of the environment as the body is. Environment includes mindset, lifestyle, and habitual behavior. Dopamine deficiency is very much affected by all three: 
❓Sleep deprivation (Are you using all your tools and knowledge to get a restful night of sleep? (Immupro, Sleep Essence, lavender, cedarwood, Peace & Calming, Rutavala, and Tranquil are great options.)
❓Adrenal fatigue  (Do your adrenal glands need some supportive Endoflex or Endogize?)
❓Vitamin B6 or B3 deficiency (Are you taking Super B?)
❓Heavy metal exposure including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and aluminum. Mainstream cosmetics are a hidden contributor to daily heavy metal exposure. Lipstick is among the worst offenders. YL’s Savvy Minerals cosmetics line has many gorgeous, long lasting colors to choose from that are toxin free and dopamine friendly!
❓C Difficile overgrowth.  This is often the result of antibiotic use. Always follow each antibiotic dose two hours later with a probiotic such as Life 9 or MightyPro  and fermented foods to minimize risk of this occurrence.
❓Low magnesium, zinc, iron (Get proper lab work. Know your numbers, and supplement if necessary!)
❓Vitamin C deficiency (Are you taking your Super C Chewables?)
❓Vitamin D deficiency (Know your numbers and supplement with Super D or something stronger if your labs reflect the need.) 
❓Obesity. This causes a downregulation of dopamine in the brain, and leads to a reduction of the number of receptors in the brain.
❓Drug abuse both depletes dopamine and reduces the number of receptors in the brain.
❓Diets high in saturated fats and sugar ultimately deplete dopamine resources.
❓Chronic stress affects the body’s ability to produce dopamine. Go back and review the section on stress for tips, tricks and habits to mitigate stress wisely.
❓Certain medications often have a disastrous effect on dopamine in the body.
The topic of medications and their effects on dopamine is so very important and unfortunately it is rarely discussed.  I’ll devote next week’s post to that discussion! Life is too short to feel “meh” and live in jammies. If you’ve identified any areas of life  that may be sabotaging your dopamine production or utilization, it’s always a great time to make some changes and invest in yourself!
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info
#Sharingiscaring
#ahealthydopaminelevelisgoodmedicine
#BecomingYourOwnHealthDetective
#ThanksYL
#goodmedicine