Carrie Ann Inaba is an Emmy Nominated host, producer, choreographer, writer and wellness advocate. She is most recognized from her work on ABC's megahit Dancing with the Stars, and for her previous work as moderator of CBS's The Talk. She was diagnosed with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and Sjogren's syndrome in 2013 and has since become an advocate for those living with autoimmune illnesses and for those seeking wellness, leading the the way for wellness warriors everywhere.
Michelle is the author of Exercise For Your Muscle Type: the Smart Way to Get Fit and creator of Prevention Magazine’s ULTIMATE FLAT BELLY DVD series. She currently runs Lovitfitness, a Beverly Hills based training company that is known for getting clients in remarkable shape. Her background in Exercise Physiology is why her methodology and results reside in heart rate based training. Michelle’s signature training method, Train Smarter Not Harder, gives her clients educational tools that help them understand their bodies, lose body fat, get stronger, stay motivated and enjoy a better quality of life. She has a loyal following and a reputation for getting her clients in remarkable shape.
What is your core? Why do fitness gurus everywhere seem to sing the benefits of core exercises? Well, turns out it’s a pretty important part of your body and fitness journey! Your core can affect everything from your posture to your flexibility. Focusing on building back my core transformed my own body, and I want to share everything I learned from my personal trainer, Michelle Lovitt, with you. Find out which muscles comprise the core, why they’re vital to our overall physical fitness, and the at home exercises you can do to build up those muscles. I’ve learned so much from Michelle, and I hope these tips kickstart your own learning process with what works for your body. Without further ado, here’s my conversation with personal trainer to the stars, Michelle Lovitt.
This is an excerpt from my Instagram Live conversation with Michelle Lovitt on Feb. 3, 2022. It has been edited for length and clarity. For our full conversation, click here.
Carrie Ann: One of the greatest things Michelle taught me was to reconnect to my core. As somebody who had been working out her whole life – I was a dancer, I was fit my whole life, and then was not fit – I was trying to find my way back. Working with Michelle these past few years has been tremendously helpful, but we didn’t have a huge breakthrough until we realized I wasn’t using my core properly. But we didn’t really have the huge breakthrough until we rediscovered my core as a dancer.
The way I used my core was so second nature to me that I never had to think about it. But the way I was used my core wasn’t giving me the desired results. So why is the core such an essential thing? Why suddenly did we see such huge breakthroughs with me and my body and my shape (I went from a size 10 to a size 6)?
Michelle Lovitt: Well, I think everything from a dancer’s perspective is about extension. And everything about an athlete’s perspective is about performance and power. If they don’t have a strong base, they can’t bring any power from the ground up – your power starts with your trunk. And the misnomer with core is when you ask what it is, people will say, “oh, it’s my abs”. Wrong! Core is actually your abdominal muscles, your lower back muscles, and your hips in all four directions. If you have a weak core, your ability to stand and be stable is compromised. So if you want to start a workout program, starting from the ground up is the way to go. I would start with your core first, meaning do exercises to engage your abs, your lower back, and all four planes of your hips. And if you only have five minutes, then you do it every day for five minutes, or every other day for five minutes. You’ll start to get a stronger core, you’ll start to feel more centered, more balanced, and more capable of doing a workout.
Carrie Ann: Okay, so let’s show them what you’re talking about!
Michelle Lovitt: I think we should start with a bridge because I think everybody can do it right whether they’re on the ground or they’re in a chair. Let’s show them how to activate their abs by pushing them into the ground. So contract your abs like somebody is going to walk up and drop a medicine ball on your stomach. You have to contract them really hard and push a little back into the mat, and then you can lift and lower as you breathe. Don’t forget to breathe. When you do core, a lot of people like to hold their breath and that’s not good for your heart. So now Carrie Ann is going into her bridge position, which basically you just lay on your backside, and then you tuck your feet back to work your glutes, keep your weight in your heels, and get your butt up off the ground. If you can get your lower back off the ground, great. If it bothers your lower back, then put a block or your hands underneath just to give you some support. But which she is strengthening his her glute muscle, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles. So doing a bridge gets 3 out of the 7 things of core addressed. That’s one of the greatest exercises to do, I love bridge.
Carrie Ann: For everyone at home, is it better to just drop down or roll down?
Michelle Lovitt: When you come down after holding your spine in a fixed position, make sure you go down just as slowly as you go up. You don’t want to go up and jam your way up either. So when you go up, it’s a slow and controlled motion up. Then after you hold it, roll down and then pause for a second. Some people may even need to roll around a little bit just because their low back has been used for that 30 seconds. And then if you want to add your inner thighs to this move, you can grab a ball, a block, or anything, you just squeeze your knees together. You’re bringing in your adductors, or your inner thigh muscles, which are also part of your core. I usually like to hold the bridge for anywhere from 10 seconds to a minute. And I always have my clients do pulses with their knees toward the block or the ball just to get the inner thighs to fire up a little bit. And then when you come down, remove the block first, and then roll down one vertebrae at a time.
And then because you were able to address your glutes, your hamstrings and your inner thigh, I think a really fun one to do would be going into a bird dog. If you want to do a modified version of a bird dog, you can do it against the wall, or you can do it flat on the ground. You don’t have to be in an elevated tabletop position like Carrie Ann. We’re going to start with one foot, and then we’re going to add the opposite limb. So she has her left leg up and her right arm extended. You want to think about one line of energy coming through your fingertips, through the tip of your toes, as you squeeze your abs, lower back, and glutes. You’re already strengthening your core so much in this position. From here, contract your right elbow to your left knee, pulling your bellybutton up into your spine.
To engage the proper muscles, you want to make sure that your hips are level. And as she does this, I should be able to balance a teacup on her back while she’s extending. If she isn’t extending or she’s in a twisted position, the tea cup would fall. And then you want to switch sides. Sometimes these challenge your balance a little bit but if you fall you won’t go very far. So embrace the wobble. Remember everybody is where they are fitness wise until they’re not. It takes a few seconds to just get going and start the journey.
Carrie Ann: Okay, now we’re going to do my favorite exercise. If you guys have a band that you can attach somewhere, you can do this. What are these called, Michelle?
Michelle Lovitt: These are the “whittle the middles”! But first, make sure your band is secure! Carrie Ann is twisting against a band with quite a bit of tension. She’s leading with her hips and following with her arms which engages her lower abdominal muscles, her triceps, and we’re trying to get into the obliques so that we create that hourglass shape where you have that nice little whittled middle.
Carrie Ann: What about this option?
Michelle Lovitt: That’s a great one. To engage that lower part of her abs, Carrie Ann is going to grab the band, and push and pull outwards, starting from the center of her torso. We are creating core stability with this band.
And there you have it! As you can see, even the simplest of moves can help to strengthen and stabilize your core. Core strength is associated with better posture, balance, flexibility, and helps to eliminate back pain. All of these moves can be done at home – no personal trainer needed! If you’re interested in hearing more from Michelle, you can check out articles she has contributed to here. Our full Instagram Live video is up on my instagram pages, @carrieanninaba @carrieannconversations, if you would like to see our full conversation and live demonstration. Be kind and stay well!
For more information on Michelle and her training techniques, follow the links below:
Dr. Amen is one of America’s leading psychiatrists and brain health experts. He has authored or coauthored 9 professional book chapters, 85 scientific articles, and more than 40 books, including New York Times mega-bestseller Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. He has appeared on numerous television shows including Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, The Doctors, Today Show, Good Morning America and The View.
Carrie Ann: Welcome to the first ever episode of Carrie Ann Conversations, Journey to Wellness! I’m so excited that you have all joined me here today. If there’s anything that I’ve learned in the past year, it’s that in order to achieve wellness, you have to do the work. That’s why I decided to start this new series, Journey to Wellness, because I wanted to share what I have learned from this experience with you. I have thought leaders, doctors, experts, influencers, and friends. All have helped me on this incredible road to wellness, and the goal is to share it all with you.
I’m kicking things off today with someone that was by my side during my own road to recovery in 2021. He’s a physician, an author, and a brain health specialist who forever changed the way I approach my own health. He has been so important and such a great friend through all of this. Please welcome founder of Amen Clinics and author of the new book, You, Happier: The 7 Neuroscience Secrets of Feeling Good Based on Your Brain Type, Dr. Daniel Amen!
Thank you so much for being my first ever guest on Carrie Ann Conversations Journey to Wellness. And happy 2022! Let’s start with this – what is your goal for 2022?
Dr. Amen: To keep doing what I do. To make a difference in the lives of a lot of people, to love my family, and to live forever. So, to make decisions so that I have clarity and energy.
Carrie Ann: Alright y’all, did you hear that? We are going to get to how we make those things happen in a second. And Dr. Amen, I wish all of that for you. I know you know how to achieve it because you have helped me achieve these goals in my own life as well.
So let’s get started. To get everyone on the same page, I met Dr. Amen last year in May, right when I had taken my hiatus from The Talk because I was very ill. I wasn’t able to go to work and that was the first time in my life that something like that had happened. And when I came to him, I was in the worst flare up of my life. It was terrible. I had been to see all of these specialists, including a craniosacral specialist, gotten 7 MRIs, and did neurological testing, but the pain was still so immense. They were trying to put me on Percocet, and that didn’t even work so I knew I had to make a shift and make a change. Then I remembered a friend of mine who knows Dr. Amen talking about this man who did brain scans. At the time I thought it was so interesting, but I wasn’t in need. But in that moment I remember thinking to myself, I am in need. Because something is wrong, and I’m not okay. So I got your number and I reached out to you, and you were watching Game of Thrones, do you remember?
Dr. Amen: I do, and I was watching it for like the third time so I was like, oh, Carrie Ann Inaba, I’d much rather talk to her.
Carrie Ann: You were so sweet, you took the call and we started talking. And then before we even met, you asked me to go get my brain scan. Which I did, and it’s called a SPECT scan, so let’s start with that. Dr. Amen can you tell everybody about the SPECT scan and why you scan peoples brains?
Dr. Amen: I’m a psychiatrist by training, and most psychiatrists never look at the brain. Which, 30 years ago I thought, well that’s insane because it’s the organ I’m trying to help. So I was introduced to this technology 30 years ago, and now have a database of 200,000 scans of people from 155 countries. And SPECT basically tells us 3 things. Good activity, too little activity, or too much activity. And my job is to balance it. At the time you came to see me you were anxious and you were sad, your life was overwhelmed, and you felt awful. So I wanted to get a look at how your brain worked. You could tell me your symptoms but you couldn’t tell me how your brain was functioning. And we discovered it was hurt. It was really sleepy in activity, and that gave us direction on some of the things we would then do for you.
Carrie Ann: Yeah, I was confused. And I also had COVID brain, and I didn’t know what to do. After we saw my brain scans, I was blown away. I will post them later so you guys can see what we are talking about. You can also watch Dr. Amen’s show, Scan My Brain, which I will be on, and we will be sharing the scans there. So we scanned my brain, and found evidence of a traumatic brain injury – a concussion in the prefrontal cortex. We also found that my frontal lobes, which should look like puffy clouds, looked like little nubs or claws, and that there was not a lot of activity where there should be. Most of my activity was in my limbic brain. So Dr. explain what that means and what you diagnosed me with at that time.
Dr. Amen: The limbic part of your brain is your emotional brain. So it was like the emotional part of your brain was on fire. But your temporal lobes, which control learning, memory, and mood stability, were really low in blood flow and activity. Your frontal lobes were also really low in activity. So then we began to go huh, I wonder if she has ADD? And that actually became very important over time. So you had a concussion, depression, ADD, and COVID brain. And what I’ve seen with COVID brain is it can really fire up your emotional brain. About 20% of the people who have COVID will then develop anxiety or depression, or both. I have before and after scans, before people got COVID and after, and I was shocked that the inflammation actually happens in the emotional part of the brain. So, we had work to do.
Carrie Ann: He’s being kind, we had to pull out the bulldozer and the big guns and get to work! And we did. What you taught me is that the most important thing about what we know as mental health, is actually what you like to call brain health. And focusing on the wellness of your brain. For someone like me and a lot of my followers who have autoimmune conditions – I have Lupus, fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s syndrome, and antiphospholipid syndrome – we tend to try really hard to get well. But we’re going all over the place, we’re reaching for anything that could make us feel better. And what was so powerful is that you helped me to focus all of my efforts in one area. Which was to focus first and foremost on my brain health. In doing that we were able to create a plan to get myself back together, which we can go over because it was so powerful that I want to share it with everybody. It just made it very cohesive for me. And I’m so grateful for that, because I was putting the effort in but was going nowhere. Would you mind sharing how you helped me and the plan you put me on?
Dr. Amen: Well, whenever someone is diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder it tells you what it is, it doesn’t tell you why it is. And I think one of the most important things we did is we got curious about what was happening to you, and not furious. We began to see what triggers it and what settles it down, and for you food was a really big part of what triggers it. I mean obviously all of us during the pandemic were under a lot of stress, but you were in a very stressful time in your life, so it’s not a big surprise that the flare happened. So, our plan was basically 3 things. The first thing was love your brain. So now we could see it, and it’s a concept I call brain envy. Freud was wrong, penis envy is not the cause of anybody’s problems, it’s brain envy! I want you to love your brain. So before you do something, ask yourself, is this good for my brain, or bad for it? Then, you and I spent a lot of time talking about certain things that were not really good for your brain, whether its alcohol, sugar, not sleeping, or believing every negative thought you have. So brain envy was number one. Two was let’s start avoiding anything that hurts our brain, and we talked about that. And then engage in regular brain healthy habits. So looking at what medicines can help, what supplements can help, what’s the right food, the right exercises. For you I think one of the most powerful things we did was go through every year of your life and look at what was stressful, but also what was great, what was awesome. Too often when people do therapy they talk about all the garbage in their life and they end up feeling worse. Well you are so accomplished that it’s critical to not let your mind just go to what’s dark, but also to balance it with the light.
I also figured out that because of the concussion you also had something called Irlen Syndrome, which is a visual processing disorder. We found that certain colors of light would irritate your brain and trigger headaches. And you’re trying to read teleprompters but the lights from the studio were making you miserable. So I sent you to my friend Helen Irlen, and that made a big difference. So as you can see, this is a not well you’re depressed, take an antidepressant approach. It’s like no, no, no, let’s really understand Carrie Ann and get all of these factors working together. With repairing the concussion with hyperbaric oxygen, to treating the depression and the pain, which was really important, to diagnosing and treating Irlen Syndrome. Then you became a master ANT eater, where you learned not to believe every stupid thought that came into your head.
Carrie Ann: Right, and speaking of every stupid thing that came into my head, one of the things you mentioned earlier was making the list of my life. It’s funny because I had mostly focused on the traumas. Which was fascinating to me and I thought that’s what you were looking for, but what you were really trying to teach me was to look at my life in a better, more balanced way, and not be a negative thought queen. I mean Dr. Amen had me name the negative part of my brain, we named her Psycho Sandy. And whenever something came up, I would tend to look for the negative, as a survival instinct, a survival mechanism. I would also be kind of mean to myself when I was talking to myself. So when all of this was happening I was a mess, and when I was considering whether I should go back to The Talk because I was on hiatus when I came to you, we discussed it at great length. I wasn’t treating my brain so I hadn’t been treating the ADD, I hadn’t been doing enough physical exercise to keep my brain balanced, I wasn’t eating well to keep my brain balanced, I wasn’t eating well to keep my inflammation down, and I wasn’t doing anything with discipline for my brain health.
A lot of people have tuned in to find out why I left The Talk, and the reason why I left The Talk was I wanted to focus on my health. I did the math, is there going to be enough hours in the day to focus on what Dr. Amen has taught me to do? Which I had started to do and was having great results with. Could I go back to The Talk in time for the fall season? And I had to decide that I couldn’t. I realized if I wanted to live a great life, the life that we all deserve to live, the life that we all have a right to live, I would have to take the time to focus on my health. With all of your guidance I’ve been able to do that.
And going back to the automatic negative thoughts, I just wanted to ask you something. When I left The Talk one of the automatic negative thoughts that I had, otherwise known as ANTS, was that it was my fault that the show kind of imploded. And you helped me understand that that was a negative thought. And why does our brain do this? It wasn’t my fault. And after all the therapy I’ve been doing with you – by the way he’s been working with me this whole time, he’s my psychiatrist as well. I want you all to know the real relationship here, it’s been amazing and it’s such a blessing. But why does our brain do this? Why do we have these negative thoughts? Why did I do that to myself instead of just seeing it for what it was?
Dr. Amen: You know thoughts come from all sorts of places. They come from our genes, they actually get transmitted through generations. They come from the news we listen to, they come from voices like our mom, our dad, our friends and foes, etc. And when there is early trauma we develop magical thinking. Like I’m so powerful if something good happens it’s because of me and if something bad happens it’s my fault. Even though if you were talking to a friend about the situation, because you’re a very kind loving person, there’s no way you’d go “You’re right! That was your fault!”. You would help walk them through it in a rational way. But you weren’t able to do that with yourself. And that’s one of the most important strategies. Learn how to step out of yourself. Sandy the Psycho actually comes from a technique I use called Give Your Mind a Name. So you can psychologically distance from the noise in your head, so that you don’t have to believe every stupid thing you think.
How to question your negative thinking is just such an important concept that we should actually teach to children. I actually have a book called Captain Snout and the Superpower Questions and it’s a kids book that teaches them how to question those thoughts. But as you can see we’re working on brain health, we’re working on psychology, social connections, and ultimately spiritual connections like “So why am I on the planet? What’s my sense of purpose?”. And I mean doing this is totally at the center of your purpose because you are a healer and you’re sharing your healing journey with other people.
Carrie Ann: Yes, I am definitely sharing my healing journey with other people. Thank you for all that you just said. Dr. Amen put me to work, I just want to tell you guys. Like he put me to work and offered these things that would be helpful and I chose to do it, and it was amazing. One of the first books he asked me to read – well, first of all I suggest reading all of his books. They’re so much fun, and they’re not difficult reading. Simple solutions to complex problems. One of his books is Your Brain Is Always Listening. And he talks about what we just discussed, which are the dragons and how we have ancestral dragons and all of these different ways that lead to negative thoughts. So, Dr. Amen I just want you to share the 5 questions. When somebody is having a negative thought, you taught me these questions that really help you challenge yourself. Because we have to challenge ourselves when we’re being negative. So what are those questions and how can we avoid a negative thought?
Dr. Amen: So, the thought might be “I made things at The Talk worse”, and the first question is “Is that true?”. So you might say yes because you’re believing Psycho Sandy. The second question is “Is it absolutely true with 100% certainty?”. It just makes you really reflect on it and maybe you’re like no, it’s way more complicated than that. And the third question is “How do I feel when I believe the thought?” and you’d say awful. The fourth question is “How would I feel without the thought” and you would say free. And the fifth question is take the original thought, “I created these problems” turn it to the opposite, which is “I didn’t create these problems” and then look for truth in the opposite of the thought that is actually bothering you.
I got these questions from my friend Byron Katie, they’re so powerful. They’re so good. You know I don’t have any tattoos on my body, but if I got one, I’d get a tattoo of these five questions. Because that gives you happiness, that gives you peace when you don’t have to attach. It’s not the thoughts you have that make you suffer, it’s the thoughts you attach to that make you suffer. And if you can learn not to attach to the lies, you’re just going to be a happier human.
Carrie Ann: I want to move on to your newest book that’s coming out on March 1st, You, Happier – The 7 Neuroscience Secrets of Feeling Good Based on Your Brain Type. I just think about this title and it makes me happy. Because I know you’re going to help so many people with this book and everyone I talk to would love to be happier. We have been through such a difficult two years and some of us have been struggling even longer than that. And the tools you have given me have helped so much. So I want to ask you about this book. First of all, what are some of the warning signs that indicate that your brain health needs attention?
Dr. Amen: Well, if you’re unhappy. Happiness is a brain function. If your memory is worse than it was 10 years ago, if you have low energy, if you’re making bad decisions because ultimately it’s the quality of your decisions that determine your health and happiness. Decision making is a brain function. If you’re not sleeping, if you’re snoring loudly at night, all of those things.
Carrie Ann: Wait, why snoring?
Dr. Amen: Because sleep apnea actually triples the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Carrie Ann: Oh wow, so basically you’re saying if you snore a lot you might want to go get that checked.
Dr. Amen: You might want to get it checked, it’s very important.
Carrie Ann: Okay, so what can someone do today to start being happier?
Dr. Amen: In the book I talk about 7 things. The most important of all of them, the foundational secret of happiness that virtually none of the happiness books, because there are a lot of happiness books out there, talk about is brain health. I actually did a study of 500 consecutive patients, and I gave them my Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and I compared the high happiness people with the low happiness people. And the low happiness people had low activity in their frontal lobe. Sort of like you when I first met you. What people don’t realize is if I get my brain better, well, I’m happier. And happiness is a moral obligation. It’s not a nice thing to do. It’s a moral obligation because of how you impact other people. Just ask anybody who was raised by an unhappy parent, or married to an unhappy spouse, whether or not happiness is a moral obligation and I guarantee you they will say yes. This is not about selfishness, it’s about altruism because of how we impact other people.
Carrie Ann: Oh I love that, I so agree with that. When you’re happy, you spread happiness! It’s contagious. If you want to be a good person in this world start with you. Start with you. You’ve really taught me that. I thought I was dealing with me but I think I was making everybody else first in line, and I was actually back of the bus thinking I was taking care of myself. Let’s do a rating thing, on a scale of one to ten, where was my happiness when I first met you, before the work?
Dr. Amen: 2. Yeah, it was pretty bad.
Carrie Ann: Yes, I filled out all the forms and did the happiness challenge which we’ll talk about, and yeah I was about a 2. So where do you think I am now after 8 months of working together?
Dr. Amen: I think you’re an 8. I mean ultimately you should say it, but you know, there’s still ups and downs. But every time there’s a down we investigate it. We’re like detectives on Carrie Ann. You are such a good patient, I mean I adore you for so many reasons, but you do what I ask you to do. And you know that’s what I tell my patients it’s like just do it, because you know I have 40 years of experience so if you do this we’re going to make progress. And you do it, which just makes my work so much easier.
Carrie Ann: Thank you, so what grade level do I get, or on a scale how do you rate me as a patient?
Dr. Amen: Oh you get an A, you’re a 10.
Carrie Ann: Bruno, Len, watch out I got a 10! Thank you for that. And I will tell you that Dr. Amen was incorrect about one thing though. He said I’m about an 8, but the truth is I feel a 10 right now. And that’s because I’m doing this interview with you right now and we’re getting to share all of these amazing things. Ok, I know you’re short on time so we’re going to end with a viewer question. Here it is, from Melanie: “My thought patterns and therefore actions have been described to me by people more than once as all over the place. I’m not sure why I am this way, but I would like to understand it better and fix it”. What do you say to that Dr. Amen?
Dr. Amen: Well, Carrie Ann you understand about having your thoughts all over the place, it’s a common symptom of ADD. So I’d get that checked. And it could also be from a potential head injury. So one of the things you can do, a simple thing, is go to youhappier.com and pre-order the book and get a whole bunch of immediate benefits. Including my wife’s new cookbook, the You, Happier Cookbook. And get enrolled into our 30 day challenge, which you have done Carrie Ann. And I saw one question in the feed, it was “Did you get your brain scanned again?” and the answer was yes, and hopefully you’ll post the before and after, which are amazing. As your brain heals, your mind heals as well.
Carrie Ann: Yes, my brain is so much better you guys and you’ll see the scans right after this. I want to remind everyone that Dr. Amen’s new book comes out in March and is currently available for pre-order. Dr. Amen, I just want to thank you so much. You’ve helped me immensely and I do believe that with this Carrie Ann Conversation today you’ll be helping many more people. And I wish you the best 2022 and thank you so much for all that you’ve done for me, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.
Dr. Amen: You’re so welcome, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Carrie Ann: Dr. Amen is fantastic, don’t you think? I want to thank you all for joining me on my first ever episode of Carrie Ann Conversations Journey to Wellness. This has been an exciting day for me and I really appreciate that you all tuned in. Dr. Amen was fantastic, I hope you all gained something and learned something for your own journey of wellness. And I hope that you will continue the dialogue. I wish you all a wonderful 2022! Stay well, and be kind to yourselves.
You can find Dr. Amen’s social media, resources, books, and more information on his SPECT scans at these links:
I’ve always felt the path to compassion is community. It’s one of the reasons I started this blog. Despite being told early in my career to remain quiet about my autoimmune journey I instead chose to be vocal and transparent about my insecurities, concerns, and treatments. I believe we all benefit from shared knowledge. That’s why I’m excited to be talking with Dr. Randall Harrell, the founder and CEO of Regener-Eyes®, about how his new technologies and research are helping people with autoimmune conditions.
When I was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome I was finally able to put a name to my symptoms — especially my dry eyes. I used to wake up in the mornings barely able to open my eyes because they were so dry. It was painful to start my day that way. Regener-Eyes® has helped give me relief from my dryness and my eyes are clearer and brighter which is great for my on-camera duties.
I sat down with Dr. Harrell and quickly found we both had a passion for the intersection of science and wellness. I’m so excited to share the Regener-Eyes® story with you.
Carrie Ann: Dr. Harrell, it’s so nice to meet you, thank you for taking the time to talk to my followers about Regener-Eyes® eye drops. I’ve been using Regener-Eyes® eye drops since your company reached out to me and I have to say — ‘Regener-Eyes®, where have you been my whole life!’ Can you explain to me how Regener-Eyes® came to be?
Dr. Harrell: Thank YOU Carrie. What you are doing to help educate your fans about autoimmune diseases and treatments is really important. I am certain that you have helped many people find relief. My story starts a long time ago when I was a young boy. My mother had chronic dry eyes and I would go to the doctor with her and all the doctors that she saw really didn’t have much to offer. They would tell her to put a moist warm compress on your eye, and that was the extent of what they could do back in that time.
Carrie Ann: Yes, I totally understand that. I’ve been there as well.
Dr. Harrell: Even though I was young, it seemed to me there had to be a better option than a compress. As I was able to acquire more knowledge and understand more about the chronic inflammatory nature of all these diseases, including chronic dry eye, I thought if we could decrease the chronic inflammation and get the regeneration to occur we could get a much better outcome than anything else on the market. And that’s what we found in clinical practice. Creating a product to help solve for this seemed logical and exciting to me.
Carrie Ann: The science behind the development of this product fascinates me. Can you break it down for the average person, like myself, how Regener-Eyes® is able to lubricate my eyes and provide relief?
Dr. Harrell: Regener-Eyes® is a biologic eye drop made of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Cytokines are proteins produced by your cells and they serve like little messengers between cells. These types of proteins are necessary for cell function, overall health, and homeostasis.
My “ah-ha” moment was when I discovered that dry eye disease is really caused by chronic inflammation. I developed a simple eye drop solution to help improve the problem patients are having and potentially stimulate healing and regeneration to occur. Regener-Eyes® Ophthalmic Solution has been a real breakthrough in the treatment of dry eye disease, and it is part of a standard of care that is starting to change based on the science of regenerative medicine.
Carrie Ann: Why does this trend excite you?
Dr. Harrell: The biggest trend is now the advancement of regenerative medicine that started in the early 1990s. I was working with this in Texas, and lot of people thought our results were science fiction. Our results were too good be true, like it was some kind of lab error. But a lot of people now understand that regenerative medicine is the next evolution in health care. That’s just progress, and a lot of it is based on the concept of biologics.
All the pharma companies that don’t have a biologic in their pipeline will probably have one in the next five years. They work so much better than pharmaceuticals. They’re safer because they’re more natural, and they’re a lot more effective. A lot of them are derived from living tissue, either bacteria, fungus, or cells of animals and humans, and they’re much more complex than a small molecule pharmaceutical. That’s why a lot of people don’t know how they work, but that’s where the excitement is. That’s a change for almost all parts of medicine because you can affect all parts of your body with these new biologics.
Carrie Ann: What is the best way to use Regener-Eyes® and are there different versions of the product?
Dr. Harrell: We have two solutions: a light version for moderate symptoms that is shelf stable and can easily be carried in a purse for use on the go and throughout the day. Like when you are back and forth on set. We also have a Professional version for severe symptoms and needs to be refrigerated.
Carrie Ann: How can someone get Regener-Eyes® eye drops?
Dr. Harrell: The easiest way is to contact your eye care provider and request the eye drop. We will then ship Regener-Eyes® directly to your home. You can also visit www.RegenerEyes.com/CarrieAnn for more information.
Carrie Ann: I love that I got my own page. Super cool. Thank you.
Dr. Harrell: We are so excited to be working with you. If there is any way we can support you or your fans further please give me a call. Thank you for sharing and thank you for having me as part of CarrieAnnConversations.com. And good luck with Dancing With The Stars. My family loves that show.
Carrie Ann: It has been my pleasure. I’m so excited to be partnering with you.
For more information about Regener-Eyes® and its products go to www.RegenerEyes.com/CarrieAnn
All of us face times in life where we feel a little lost, where we lose our footing or forget parts of ourself. In these times, it’s important to gather the things that remind us of who we are and provide us with perspective and grounding. Books have always been a source of support for me. They are like the friend you are never without and can always turn to.
10 books in particular have become favorites of mine, always giving me something new when I’m trying to find my next step forward. They are like the medicine cabinet for my soul. I return to them often; their pages are worn, there are notes in the margins and each of them have a deep, personal attachment for me. I’d like to share them with you in hopes that if you need them, you will find them there for you, always willing to help, always able to sit quietly with you and bring you gifts to help you on your journey.
This is my favorite book. Every day, I open it and read one of the short, inspirational essays inside. Madisyn Taylor has a way of lifting my spirits every time I read her words. Even when she’s discussing challenging things and suggesting ways to move through a challenge or discomfort, I always feel uplifted. DailyOM has become a valuable tool in my arsenal of wisdom. Her reminders feel like you are having a morning conversation with a close friend who always tries to lift you up. You can read it cover to cover, or you can open it up in a random place and see what speaks to you. Each entry is no longer than two pages long and the joy and inspiration held within each entry is like sunshine on your shoulders.
Everyone should have a copy of this book somewhere in their home. And maybe you should have three… just in case you want to give your friend one. If you don’t have a copy on hand, though, Madisyn Taylor’s words are never far— there’s also a DailyOM website, filled with wonderful entries that just feel good to read.
This book is not easy to describe. The best place to start is that it is not just a game changer, but a life changer. I’ve read it a few times now; often I’ve come to it in times when I’ve felt broken, with no one to turn to. By turning to Michael Singer’s words, usually in a bath with lavender oil and candles burning to calm my senses, I’ve often been able to remember who I am and find my way back to myself.
This book helps you to start to understand the difference between your thoughts and you. This is such a powerful tool. We often get confused with the voices we hear: what should I listen to, which one is truth, which one is God? With so many thoughts rushing through our heads, it can be hard to make sense of each one. And when we are uncertain of things, the voices get louder and our peace gets weaker. This book has helped me in so many ways. My own personal copy is beat up and has notes all over it. Singer gives you tools to practice and help distinguish between the voices to find your own truth, beyond the noise. He introduces you to your “inner roommate,” a concept that will make you laugh and cry, but once you learn how to recognize the different voices, you will feel free and truly untethered.
This is a book you can return to over and over again, and it’s one that needs to be read from cover to cover. For some, you may want to read it every few years to check in with yourself. But it’s always worth the investment of time; I never feel like I’ve wasted a moment when I spend my time within these pages.
Sometimes, life needs a different kind of cure. I am a big fan of feng shui principals in interior decorating and design. One of the major lessons it’s taught me is that changing your surroundings can have a huge impact on the way you feel. Our homes are where we recharge, rejuvenate, heal, nurture ourselves and raise our families, and it’s important to recognize the power that holds. This book has been a go-to when I feel the energy around me getting stagnant. My favorite chapter that I often return to is Chapter 7, The Sense: Sight, Sound, Smell and Touch, which shows how certain colors and shapes can affect us. It’s always fun to be reminded of these things.
I love to change my environment, but I don’t always want to purchase new things. As this book teaches, sometimes it is just a matter of moving things around. The placement of furniture is very important to how you feel in the room. The principles of feng shui make a lot of sense when you really look at them; to me, many of them are based in very practical thinking, and that’s always appealing. This book is a wonderful tool when you’ve done too much reading and too much thinking and you just want to move things around.
So open this book, put on some good music and let the games begin! I do suggest having a friend over when moving furniture — otherwise you will scratch your floors. ( You should see my floors.)
This book has such sentimental value to me. The copy I have is the copy I had given to my dad while he was undergoing cancer treatments. Sadly, he passed away in 2013. When my brother Craig and I were cleaning out his place, I found it and brought it back to LA with me. It’s a very special book for that reason, but what makes it so precious is that it is a book filled with inspiration. Each page has a different gentle reminder that it’s “never to late to… “ It’s one of those books that I can open to any page and the words will usually find their way to the core of whatever I’m going through, touching my heart and inspiring me to do something. I just opened it up… here is what was on the page:
It’s never too late….to be kind Most of us rush through life And miss many of its greatest rewards. Take a gentler road, Where you have time to talk to people. Learn about their lives, and their loved ones. It will broaden your life. It will give you compassion. Accept their kindnesses. Be kind in return. -Patrick Lindsay
It’s a great book to keep in your purse or on your nightstand, always nearby to provide comfort and fresh inspiration. This book is like a best friend who’s always there to remind you that it’s never too late to be all that you want to be. Thank you, Patrick Lindsay.
I keep this book in my bathroom, which is my favorite place to read. (#TRUTH. ) I’ve had this book since 1988 — it’s a go-to book of inspiration filled with thought-provoking quotes by some really incredible thinkers, some famous, some not. ( I love that.) The quotes always challenge me, excite me, or give me peace. It encourages movement and thought and energy when I may feel stuck. Sometimes, pages from the book are just for fun and make me smile. Some of the quotes are designed to make us laugh at ourselves, and some are designed to catapult us into a new chapter of life. Either way, this has been one of my “ride or die” companions for years, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share it with you all today. Check it out; it also makes a great gift.
Today’s pull:
Whenever we communicate with each other correctly there is an exchange of energy. — Reshad Feild.
This book is my little treasure and by the same author. It’s a red hardback little pocket-sized book of quotes and thoughts by a variety of thinkers. What I love about my copy of this book is that it’s written in beautiful calligraphy by Susan Hayward herself. The handwriting adds such unique flavor. It makes me feel like I’m holding an ancient text in my hands. She says in the preface that she wanted to “create a handbook of positive and uplifting thoughts that would inspire anyone in need of guidance.” This book teaches you how to listen to your own intuition. Reading a quote from someone else can help your mind open up to other ways of thinking beyond our own. But the real gift is that when you read a quote, as you are reaching for some help from the universe, you must use your own guidance, and listen to your own heart as you interpret it. As you do this more and more, you will learn who you are and come face to face with your own special and unique soul.
Another fascinating fact about this book is that it was rejected by every publisher, so the author ended up self publishing. Her determination and continued commitment to her vision created something that has touched my life and that is what I wish for all of you and always for my own self as well.
Today’s quote:
Ideas by themselves cannot produce change of being. Your effort must go in the right direction, and one must correspond with the other. — P.D Ouspensky.
I just pulled that quote. Isn’t it quite perfect? You see, it really does work… I hope you will try it and find the same resonance that I do.
I use this book when I judge. Wait, that doesn’t sound right. What I meant is that I wrote the “Four Agreements” into the front page of my book when I first started out as a judge on Dancing with the Stars. Being a “judge” was challenging for me at first, because I struggled with that word. For me it brought about connotations of having to be perfect, of being the ultimate dance expert. It made me feel that I was then going to be judged in return. It was just scary. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings, and I didn’t want to act like I know it all, because who does? I loved being a dancer and a choreographer, but the idea of being a judge felt like it lacked a certain creativity and expression that I had always had in my life. But, being a judge was the path that the universe had laid in front of me, and I needed to find a way to embrace it. It seemed like something that, deep down, I needed to learn ( and there have been many things I learned from being a judge).
I remember when I first started, chatrooms were popular, and it was a new phenomenon to hear the feedback from everyone. When you are a dancer, usually feedback is positive. Suddenly, because I was a “judge,” I had all sorts of feedback. It was a newer type of position in television. Really, before Len, Bruno and I, there was only Paula, Randy and Simon from American Idol. At first, people also didn’t quite know how to respond to us. The fact that we were judging people ( the stars) that they already loved only added fire to their reactions to us. So, I learned how to face negative feedback at the same time I was learning how to give feedback that wasn’t always positive. This was a struggle for me, and I ended up talking to someone about it. She asked me to sum up what I stand for. The answer was quick and easy: “I believe in honesty and integrity.” She responded: “Well, that sounds like a perfect judge.” Soon after, I came across this book, The Four Agreements. And not only did I love the book, I found the principles to be perfectly in alignment with how I wanted to approach my position.
These four principles have enriched my life in many more ways than just helping me find my path as a judge. They have helped me in my relationships with people in all facets of life. I sometimes forget the principles but that is why I have more than one copy of the book throughout my home. It’s a great gift as well.
This book is an easy way to find a little motivation when you need it. It’s filled with reminders that keep you on track to creating your own brilliant life. It’s playful and heartfelt and tremendously motivating. You can read a page or two a day and you will live a life infused with a very special kind of wisdom.
Dr. Amen has helped me in my own personal journey towards wellness. He offers simple solutions to complex problems and helps you understand the way your thoughts affect and shape your life. This book has been very helpful for me and I’ve given it to many people since I came across it. One life-changing concept he addresses in the book is ANTS, or “automatic negative thoughts,” and ways to recognize and combat them.
I have had the good fortune to work with Dr. Amen over the past six months and he has helped me so much on my journey towards wellness. Any book of his is full of useful, practical ways to find a new approach to shifting your perspective and tackling obstacles. But this book is the one I’d recommend the most to my friends and family, so I’m recommending it to you as well.
Working on the mental and emotional sides of feeling stuck are always important, but it’s just as crucial to make sure you’re looking after your physical health as well. As someone who has struggled with autoimmune conditions, maintaining a healthy equilibrium is very important to me, and Anthony William’s books have become a big part of that process. Anthony William is an incredible human being and has a gift for healing people. I began drinking celery juice after hearing about him speak about its health benefits, and I’ve had the incredible opportunity to speak to him and work with him on a regimen that helped me so much. This book not only comes stocked with loads of easy recipes, but it can also help you look at the way your diet impacts your overall health and consider how we can use foods to help heal ourselves.
After 29 seasons of Dancing with the Stars, you could say that trailers have been my home away from home! Much like an office, I spend most of the day in my trailer with my team getting ready for the show. And if you know me, you know that I like creating spaces and work environments that bring me comfort, joy, and peace. So, without further ado, here are my 16 trailer must-haves!
1. My DWTS Binder
The first thing I look at when arrive to set is my binder. I couldn’t get through the day without this thing! It has all of the information the judges need, like our schedule, show order, the songs, and cast bios. If we need to refer back to something, all of the information is in one place.
This is my 30th season using a trusty Moleskine notebook. They are my absolute favorite, and I always have one on stage with me to take notes during performances.
I can’t write in my Moleskine without these pens. They write super smoothly and dry fast, which is important while I am quickly scribbling notes in the dark.
As you can see, I love office supplies, and one thing I can’t go about my day without is a highlighter. It’s the simple things in life!
5. Candles
Candles are one of my favorite ways to make a space my own. A scent I have loved for years is Voluspa’s Bergamot Rose. I always have one burning! I’m also a fan of Voyage et Cie’s Tuberosa. Both are staples in my trailer right now.
I use a rose quartz gua sha tool to massage my face. It helps with lymphatic drainage, and at 53 you’ve gotta keep things fresh and glowing any way you can!
It’s important to keep your lips moisturized, but even more so when your job is to talk! One of my favorite balms is this mocha rose scented one by Smith’s. I carry it everywhere and it smells like candy!
Scents do so much to boost our moods and calm our minds. I like to roll on a perfume before I walk to stage as a sort of pre-show ritual. One of my favorites is this scent from Byredo.
Flu season is upon us, so one thing I always like to have in my trailer is a bottle of oil of oregano capsules. I like to take these whenever I feel a cold coming on, and they have really worked for me!
10. Homemade Scented Mist
Since I don’t have a humidifier in my trailer, I have to keep the air moisturized somehow! I make this mist at home and it’s a great way to refresh a room:
Water
10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops of lavender essential oil
I add this mix to a spray bottle and use it to refresh my trailer as needed.
I have been using Rusk since I was a Fly Girl! The Deepshine cream is moisturizing and gives my hair extra gloss before I go onstage.
12. Eyelashes
I’m a big fan of fake eyelashes. There are so many fun styles to play around with, and they always take a look to the next level. My makeup artist, Marylin, has a drawerful of them.
I have Sjogren’s Syndrome, so moisturizing is essential for me. Pure Fiji’s Body Butter is my favorite lotion by far. The scent is amazing and it just makes me happy! If you can’t tell… scents are a big thing with me. You have to do what you can to stick little moments of happiness in your day. This stuff is also the reason why people think my skin looks so moisturized!
This is my favorite face moisturizer, and promises plump and radiant skin. As you get older, you have to worry about these things! But this moisturizer really helps and feels so luxurious.
This little device lifts and tones your facial muscles. Those muscles need a workout too! I use it along my jawline and work upwards. As I’ve gotten older my routine has become a little more high maintenance, but skincare is ultimately about what makes you happy and helps you feel good in your own skin.
Sparkling water is a must, and my current obsession is the peach flavored Perrier. It’s delicious!
So there you have it. All of my trailer favorites in one place! I hope you find something that can be incorporated into your own work environment and spark a little joy. Simple pleasures can go such a long way in making a place feel like your own.
If you’ve been feeling worn out, anxious, or just unbalanced, a great place to turn is the ancient practice of meditation. Meditation can help instill more mindfulness, patience, thoughtfulness and joy into our lives, but if you’re unfamiliar with it it can be hard to know where to dive in. This is why guided meditation can be such a great resource, whether you’re just starting out or looking for something new to add to your mindfulness practice. I love turning to apps like Insight Timer to find a moment of peace, a fresh outlook, and a reminder to stay present, whether I’m just starting out my day or trying to fall into restful sleep. Here are a few of my favorite guided meditation leaders that can help you keep awareness, positivity and balance throughout your day.
1. Donna D’Cruz
Whether you need help clearing an emotional block, a reminder to feel more present, or even help falling asleep, Donna D’Cruz is a great guided meditation leader to start with. Her soft, peaceful voice will lead you to a more peaceful place, quietly reminding you to make a peaceful space for yourself.
2. Mooji
Mooji is such so wise and such a great resource for guided meditations. He really makes you think deeply about life and the vastness of it all and his sessions can give us a real perspective of how we fit into the universe. He helps me to let go of the need to try to control my environment and puts the emphasis on just being present.
3. Sarah Blondin
If you have insight timer or are curious about developing a routine around meditation, Sarah Blondin is one of my all-time favorite guided meditation leaders. My favorite meditation of hers is Making Your Life Sacred on Insight Timer; it’s a simple twelve minute reminder to hold your life as precious and appreciate every aspect of life, from each breath you take to each new day you see. It’s an amazing meditation to start the day with, accompanied by beautiful, calming music.
4. Wake Me Up
Wake Me Up is a podcast designed to help you start your day on the right foot, giving you energy and positivity when you get up. In each episode, the host Tyler Brown provides a guided meditation centered around a different piece of advice for beginning your day. How you get up in the morning truly has a lasting impact on the course of the rest of your day; if you find that you have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning or feel groggy and unfocused for hours after you get up, Waking Up might be the perfect tool to change your routine for the better.
5. Meditation Minis Podcast
If you find that you don’t have a lot of time in the mornings or get stressed out thinking about trying to fit in a half hour or more for meditation, the Meditation Minis podcast has the perfect solution. Meditation Minis features small bites of mindfulness, some as short as six minutes, to get your day started on the right foot without having to worry about losing time.
6. Kelly Howell
If you have trouble sleeping, a meditation aid can really help you settle into a comfortable bedtime routine. Although it doesn’t contain any speaking, Kelly Howell’s Deep Sleep track can help reign your restless thoughts in and help you feel calmer. Her use of binaural beats can help to guide your brain activity into relaxation or meditative states, meaning that her work is scientifically designed to help you rest.
Whether you’ve been meditating for a while or this world is brand new to you, guided meditation offers such a range of experiences and helpful tools to help us be more resilient and peaceful in our daily lives. I hope at least a few of these leaders helps you unlock a new way of experiencing the world, embracing gratitude, and making space for your own needs and peace.
The BEMER group first introduced its PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy in 1998 for helping to target and improve users’ circulation, stimulate muscles and increase resilience. It has become known as a leading form of vascular therapy and is distinctive for its ability to target the body’s microcirculation to help users improve their blood flow and increase their performance, recovery and overall wellness.
My experiences with the BEMER Body applicator started when my brother introduced me to it. He’s always looking into innovative technology and he knows I’m fascinated in the intersection of science and wellness. Deep down I’m a tech geek (I have been ever since my dad brought me my first Casio watch from Japan) and finding the bridge between health and technology is always thrilling to me. I was immediately interested in the BEMER Body applicator and started using it right away; soon after I got mine a friend of mine sprained her ankle. We wrapped it in the BEMER pad and when she got up we could see right away that it had already helped. Having that kind of visible evidence of the work that the microcirculation technology can do was very impactful.
I use the BEMER whenever I have an injury to help speed my recovery. The multi-functionality of the BEMER system is truly incredible and its ability to improve the human function of microcirculation is so helpful. I love using my BEMER system; it makes me feel cool and tech savvy while genuinely helping my body function at a higher level.
To get a better idea of what BEMER does and how it can improve users’ lives, we spoke to Dr. Joshua Berka, who has worked as BEMER’s Medical & Scientific Consultant for over a decade. A board certified Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist, Dr. Berka has had years of experience working with PEMF therapy and has seen the life changing results firsthand.
How Does BEMER Work?
Dr. Berka explains that BEMER devices work by targeting tissues with PEMF. “As the PEMF is delivered to the target tissues, the energy emitted by BEMER is converted to micro-electrical currents that stimulate local blood flow within the microcirculation and facilitate muscle performance.” He says that BEMER devices are the most researched PEMF therapy products on the North American market, as well as the only low power, low frequency PEMF device cleared as a Class II medical device by the FDA.
Why does BEMER’s PEMF work? Because it mirrors currents our bodies are used to. BEMER’s patented frequencies imitate those produced by the Earth’s own natural vibrations. He compares it to taking a walk on the beach to ground yourself. BEMER sees results because of the specific information that it transmits to the body, which the body can recognize and respond to. The frequencies emitted by BEMER devices also help to support our natural rhythms, including our circadian rhythms. Dr. Berka says that one of the programs that makes BEMER so unique among PEMF devices is its patented Sleep Program, which is designed to support the user while they sleep. Helping users to glean the full restorative effects of restful sleep is one of the greatest benefits BEMER has to offer.
One particular feature that’s special about BEMER devices is their ability to target the body’s microcirculation. “In a nutshell,” Dr. Berka says, “the microcirculation is the functional part of the circulatory system.” It’s comprised of a system of blood vessels that can get smaller than a human hair and is responsible for circulating the blood we need to survive. “We only have one to one and a half gallons [of blood] in our body at any one time and 2000 to 3000 gallons of blood are circulating every day,” says Dr. Berka. “That is a lot of blood flow. While we believe the heart is pumping all that blood through the body, that is only part of the story.” The microcirculation is responsible for how the blood flows and where it goes by shunting blood to maintain our organs, tissues, and cells. Being able to target this system and increase its efficiency can be incredibly helpful in keeping our bodies working well and recovering quickly.
Who Is BEMER Therapy Good For?
Because the therapy improves blood circulation, it can offer benefits to almost anyone who uses it. By supporting healthy blood flow, it helps to build resiliency in the body over time. Dr Berka explains that BEMER isn’t disease-specific as much as it is people-specific: “It’s designed to support the self-regulatory processes of the human body to improve blood flow, nutrient and oxygen delivery, waste removal, strength, endurance, stamina, energy, muscle conditioning, stress response and help with the user’s quality of sleep.” The positive effects BEMER offers can be useful for anyone seeking balance and more resilience when it comes to their bodies.
How BEMER Can Help With Pandemic Stress
Dr. Berka says this kind of balance has become especially vital in the pandemic. He says BEMER is the perfect tool for offsetting some of the biggest changes that have arisen in this past year. A lot of us have seen our activity levels plummet while we’ve been staying home; this can lead to both muscle atrophy and stagnated blood flow. BEMER can help boost our circulation back up, supporting a better quality of life and all the benefits that come with better flow.
The pandemic has also almost universally increased our stress levels much higher than we’re used to. Stress can impact our health in a number of ways but it can be especially harmful when it affects our ability to get quality sleep. Because the body relies on regular sleep to heal and restore itself, missing out on rest can be a disaster for our health and wellness. BEMER’s special sleep program can be especially helpful now as we work to counteract pandemic stress.
How To Use BEMER
Dr. Berka explains that for best results, users should use the BEMER full body applicator for eight minutes twice a day, followed by a targeted treatment with one of BEMER’s applicators (such as the B.SPOT, B.PAD or B.SIT) to stimulate any specific problem areas. He says one specific tip that many users aren’t aware of is that the therapeutic field of the B.PAD applicator is emitted bi-directionally, so it produces energy from both sides at once. “One may use, for example, the B.PAD in between the legs to simultaneously stimulate both legs rather than just one side,” he says. “This is a great time saver and an efficient way to use this applicator to increase local blood flow in the leg muscles.”
Dr. Berka says that although the BEMER is very safe for many to use, there are a few contraindications for use: “BEMER should not be used by individuals who have had an organ tissue or cell transplant and are simultaneously taking immunosuppressive drugs or therapy. This is because BEMER has been shown to increase blood flow and stimulate the immune system. This is the opposite of what we want to do to avoid organ, tissue or cell rejection. Also,” he says, “If an individual has deep venous thrombosis (DVT), they should not use the BEMER. As for implantable medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, deep brain stimulators, spinal stimulators, et cetera, use of BEMER must be discussed with the proposed user’s doctor to ensure that there will not be an adverse effect.” He says people who have an insulin pump or any other electrical device meant to deliver medications should never use these at the same time as using BEMER therapy.
Any technology that relates to shifting or moving our energy around has always fascinated me. As a dancer, I have always felt an intuitive connection to the energy that runs through us all. Dancers can often feel each other without looking at each other, sensing the energy of those around them. Throughout my life I’ve felt especially attuned to these subtle energetic shifts which is what draws me to technology like cold laser therapy. I was first led to laser technology by a healer friend who helped me find my way back to homeostasis while I was a working dancer in my twenties. I found scalar lasers to be powerful at shifting energy; they often would help my injuries heal faster. I’ve also found that using the laser on my chest before bed helps my body calm down after a long day. I never really understood the science behind the technology that’s been so useful for me, so I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn more about these devices.
Cold laser therapy has also been instrumental in the health of my animal companions. All of my pets are rescues, and many of them have had health problems ranging from blindness to intestinal issues to chronic sinus infections. Animals often react well to small shifts of energy and whenever one of my pets is having problems and I don’t know the cause, a session with a laser set seems to relieve their discomfort.
All in all, I’ve been using cold laser therapy for almost thirty years now to help balance, restore and shift my energy as well as invest in the wellness of my animals. I’m so excited to have this opportunity to speak with the founder of Discover Lasers, Kalon Prensky, about his story and this amazing technology.
Carrie Ann: Thank you so much for speaking with us about your product. I love my Scalar Laser; I have been using it for years and have experienced what it can do. Can you explain the science behind the laser, how it works and what the health benefits of using it are?
Kalon: Cold Laser Therapy, or CLT, has been in use for over 50 years. Albert Einstein played a role in creating the first cold laser made from a red ruby in the 1960’s. Since then, thousands of lasers have been created and used consistently throughout the world for humans, animals and even plants.
Red lasers are now known to offer the strongest anti-inflammatory results along with pain relief and stimulation of elastin, and they have strong antiviral properties as well. They penetrate approximately a half inch into the body and are wonderful for all soft tissue issues, skin, wounds, wrinkles, cold sores, gums, mucosal tissues, acne, arthritis and shallow pain.
Near InfraRed (NIR) lasers are the longest wavelength and penetrate up to three inches into the body. They are popular for acute and chronic pain and all musculoskeletal, spine and joint related issues including arthritis, increasing collagen in joints and spine, increasing bone density by stimulating osteoblasts and fibroblasts, reducing inflammation and increasing blood circulation. Cold lasers help to increase the movement of both blood and lymph and they deactivate seven of the nine enzymes that cause inflammation by up to 70%. They are an all-natural analgesic pain reliever.
Carrie Ann: It’s incredible that the laser has such a wide range of benefits. Are there any potential risks in using the laser, i.e. damage to the eyes or other body parts?
Kalon: Cold lasers are extremely safe and many are cleared by the FDA for home use, including the Scalar Wave Laser. Cold lasers biostimulate cells and tissues and cannot make a cell worse, but there are a few contraindications for use. Do not shine in an open eye as damage to the retina is possible with enough close range or direct exposure to the retina. Do not use over the fetus of a pregnant woman and do not use directly over a known cancer as not enough research has been done to clarify the exact parameters of what might cause a cancer to grow or shrink in the presence of CLT. Some medications can cause light sensitivity and some people can be extremely light sensitive, but this is rare.
Carrie Ann: It’s great to know that using this laser is relatively safe as long as it’s used correctly! Does the laser get hot?
Kalon: Cold lasers such as the Scalar Wave Laser do not produce enough heat to cause any damage to cells and tissues.
Carrie Ann: Can you walk us through the best way to use the laser?
Kalon: There are many ways to use a cold laser and there are many different types of cold lasers. The main Scalar Wave Laser (SWL) is a cluster laser consisting of 36 diodes (8 red lasers, 8 IR lasers and 20 blue/violet LEDs). It has 11 unique preset settings that contain special therapeutic Hz frequencies and each one has a name. It also produces a patented Scalar Wave that helps to clear outdated cellular data.
I offer a two page cheat sheet to our customers who purchase the laser through DiscoverLasers.com which summarizes the use and benefits of each setting, along with a large array of specialized treatment protocols for treating hundreds of symptoms and conditions. I love the blood cleanse protocol, the unwinding protocol, the chakra protocol and many of the other protocols that are based on the principles of acupuncture and reflexology.
Carrie Ann: These protocols sound fascinating! From the 11 basic settings, could you describe a generic wellness routine to get new users started?
Kalon: Using the Scalar Wave Laser every day for a month in the following ways can create an incredible reset for the body, glands and nervous system. The blood cleansing protocol is very easy but profound as the bloodstream is the “river of life.” 20 minutes with the laser on the Pleo or Vital Settings (I like to alternate between them each time I use it) will transform the blood from a low energy, low oxygen state into a high energy, high oxygen state. Simply set the timer to 20 minutes, select your setting and place the laser against the skin, three inches below the navel. All the blood in the body passes through this artery every 20 minutes, thus energizing and oxygenating all of the blood in your body, which lasts for about 24 hours. Of course this process does many more beneficial things to the blood and organs as well. I usually do this process when l go to sleep at night, as I find it quite comforting and it is easy to do.
If you have more time, the unwinding protocol is fantastic for resetting the adrenal glands, opening up the energy and information transmission through the spine, resetting the nervous system and the vagus nerve and boosting the immune system. It takes about 25 minutes. There are five points to place the laser for four minutes each. Use the unwind setting on both adrenal glands, sacrum, occipital ridge and then switch to the quantum setting for the last point over the thymus gland, the anti-aging and immune boosting gland, in the center of the chest.
My included training program goes over these and hundreds more protocol options to support optimal health.
Carrie Ann: Thank you for walking us through some of the ways we can use this laser for maximum relief. Does the laser work on arthritis?
Kalon: Yes! The Scalar Wave Laser is an ideal personal laser for treating arthritis. It is FDA cleared for arthritis, pain relief, increasing blood circulation, reducing inflammation and relaxing contracted tissues.
Carrie Ann: A lot of our readers have autoimmune conditions. Is there a laser regimen you would suggest for autoimmune symptoms like lupus rash, joint pain, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, or depression?
Kalon: Autoimmune conditions, anxiety and insomnia are often a result of a combination of accumulated stressors in a person’s life such as trauma, accidents, injuries, heavy metals, glyphosate, molds, fungus, yeast and other toxins that build up in the body over time. This leads to high levels of chronic contraction within the cells and tissues, preventing or slowing down proper blood circulation, detoxification and other optimal cellular processes from occurring. A healthy cell will absorb energy and nutrients, and eliminate wastes and toxins. When cells become saturated with unhealthy ingredients, it can lead to hypoxia or cell death, resulting in degeneration and disease.
With cold lasers we work to remove the stress and contraction from the cells, tissues, glands and organs, and feed them with frequencies and photons. Cold laser therapy repolarizes cells so the cell membrane can once again become permeable, allowing wastes and toxins to be released and for photons to be absorbed. Cold lasers deliver a flood of photons that are converted into ATP, the preferred fuel source of all cells in the body. Thus lasers give the body and cells the energy that is needed for healing and repair to occur. Laser therapy supports healing, pain relief, organ and gland balancing, regeneration and rejuvenation on a cellular level, naturally, with zero negative side effects. Cold laser therapy is a perfect natural compliment to a healthy lifestyle to support health and healing in ways that are simply not achievable in any other way.
Carrie Ann: This is good to hear; I’m always looking for health resources that can help with my autoimmune conditions without any additional side effects. Can you explain the laser’s use for animals? What sort of benefits can it have for them?
Kalon: With Cold Laser Therapy there is no placebo effect. It either works or it doesn’t. Animals are often quite sensitive and they tend to be naturally attracted to things that are good for them.
Most dogs, cats and even horses love laser therapy and respond to it very well. It is common to watch old dogs get up after treatment and behave like a puppy with youth and energy that may not have been witnessed for some time. Laser therapy works in the same ways for animals as it does for humans, increasing blood circulation, treating the joints and spine, reducing pain and inflammation, balancing hormones, glands and organs. The laser is used to support the areas of the body that need energy, balancing and unwinding. Laser probes can also be used to quickly and effectively treat the acupuncture points of the animals, which further supports healing and rejuvenation.
Carrie Ann: I’ve definitely seen this effect in my own animals when I’ve used it on them. Can you share any stories of amazing results from people who used the laser?
Kalon: I certainly could but I hardly know where to begin. I have thousands of satisfied customers over nearly 14 years of sharing the Scalar Wave Lasers with both home users and practitioners. I regularly speak with customers after many years of them using the Scalar Wave Laser and in nearly every case there are two common responses: “I love my laser” and “I couldn’t live without my laser, I use it all of the time.” Laser therapy is like oral hygiene; you never want to be without it.
A few years after I had been using the SWL with great success on myself my mom came to visit me. She was walking with a cane because her knees were really bothering her and she was afraid she would have to give up two of her favorite things: long walks and dancing. I said, “You have got to try this laser on your knee, because many of my customers tell me it has made a huge difference in their lives and some folks even cancelled scheduled operations.” In that week while she was visiting I gave her three laser treatments. The day before she left she threw away the cane and we went out dancing. That was about fourteen years ago and guess what? She never had an operation, and instead she got her own laser. She is still cane free and enjoying life.
Carrie Ann: That’s wonderful to hear! Could we get some background on you and how you get involved in laser healing? Do you use the laser yourself for any sort of chronic pain?
Kalon: I got involved in holistic healing, massage, reflexology, Reiki, yoga, acupuncture, diet, nutrition, herbology, chiropractic and naturopathic medicine about 35 years ago. I have personally been using and sharing cold lasers for over 18 years as a means of repairing my body and keeping my cells and systems operating at peak performance. It is an essential part of a well balanced lifestyle: healthy diet, nutritional/herbal supplements, exercise and cold laser therapy. Being able to do cold laser therapy at home on a regular basis has given me a new lease on life. Nothing else compares with it. I have suffered from many health issues including fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative disc disease with ongoing chronic pain in my neck and lumbar spine, rotator cuff inflammation, knee pain, foot pain, hand and wrist pain to name a few.
As a natural health practitioner I have refused to take pharmaceuticals most of the time and I prefer to avoid surgical procedures, with the exception of my right wrist, which was shattered in a skateboarding accident when I was a teenager. Later a car accident resulted in whiplash and the X-ray revealed a degenerating disc in my neck. This was in 2002 before I discovered how effective cold laser therapy can be, and I spent a year doing all kinds of therapy with only temporary relief from the ongoing chronic pain which was ruining my life. In 2003 I was introduced to a Scalar Wave Laser precursor. I used it on my neck every day and it healed my neck after just one month. Next, I used it on my old wrist injury that now had full blown carpal tunnel syndrome along with arthritis in my hand and fingers. I could not make a fist and was frequently in pain. After a week of using the laser on my hand and wrist daily, the carpal tunnel was completely gone. After a month of using it my arthritis was over 30% gone and after 3 months it was 95% gone. The bulging lower back disks also normalized with regular laser use and I literally got my life back.
I lived on a farm at the time and I could finally work the land again and do many challenging physical things that I had feared I might not be able to do again. I was even able to spend the next three years building a beautiful house overlooking the ocean and jungle. Unfortunately, a friend convinced me to use Roundup to kill off a huge patch of cane grass that was taking over parts of the farmland, exposing me to toxic glyphosate which I later learned is much more toxic than was previously believed or promoted. Some years later my wife of 14 years and I filed for divorce. It was a challenging time to say the least and my adrenal glands were maxed out. At this point I had been using the Scalar Wave Laser for a while and I decided to do the unwinding protocol that was taught to me by the inventor of the SWL. We were friends at the time and he had a unique approach to laser therapy that was quite revolutionary. He developed the laser to not only address musculoskeletal issues, but to also support the glandular and organ systems of the body. Through using the laser I found that my adrenal glands responded beautifully to the treatment and my nervous system was able to relax and unwind from the constant contraction of one stressful event after another.
As I continued on my healing journey, I kept using my lasers, using, learning, sharing and practicing laser therapy in many different ways. I found that using the cold lasers and particularly the Scalar Wave Laser on a regular basis supported significant pain relief and overall healing that was not attainable with any other means. Cold lasers are a valuable part of any health and maintenance program to treat fibromyalgia, arthritis, pain and discomforts associated with stress, autoimmunity and inflammation issues. I highly recommend it.
Carrie Ann: Wow, that’s an incredible story. I’m so glad you were able to discover laser therapy to heal your own pain and then use it to help countless others as well. Thank you for sharing your journey and giving us an inside look into how this incredible technology works.
Kalon offers free consultations for anyone interested in learning more about Cold Laser Therapy. He can be reached toll free at 800-575-7963. To learn more or order online, please visit DiscoverLasers.com.
Dancers, athletes, and anyone else who uses their body for a living know the importance of massage. For those of us who incorporate massage and body work into our daily health regimen, going a year without access to these resources as we social distance has threatened our usual routines of wellness. It’s never been more valuable to find an at-home alternative to massage that can provide the same level of relief. My brother Craig Inaba and his amazing company Muscle Hammer have created the perfect muscle massaging device that can help to bridge these gaps when getting a massage is difficult.
There are many personal massagers on the market, but I love the Muscle Hammer for so many reasons. It’s weighted perfectly so that those of us who suffer from carpal tunnel or spinal stenosis (I have both) don’t have to struggle with discomfort in our wrists or forearms to counteract the weight. The Muscle Hammer also comes with so many attachments for different needs, including ones so delicate you can use them near your spine without causing damage.
I’m so excited to share my brother’s work with you; he’s created a truly exceptional product and I couldn’t be happier to talk to him about what makes the Muscle Hammer special.
Carrie Ann: Craig, thanks so much for doing this interview. It’s so cool to get to interview my brother, especially about such an amazing product that I use so much and that has helped me so much with pain management. First off, what made you want to create the Muscle Hammer?
Craig: Two reasons. First, there are too many people suffering from pain caused by muscle tension simply because they cannot afford the massage therapy needed to alleviate their pain. Second, I wanted to help level the playing field for all athletes. Wealthy athletes always have an advantage because they can afford the therapies needed to keep their bodies performing at peak levels and come back from injuries better and faster. The Muscle Hammer gives all athletes access to the kind of body maintenance therapy that in the past was only available to wealthy and elite athletes.
Carrie Ann: It’s so admirable that you want to equalize people’s access to taking good care of their bodies because everyone deserve to feel their best. What makes the Muscle Hammer different from other similar devices on the market?
Craig: Quality of product and quality of service. We are so confident in our product that we offer an industry leading 60 day money back guarantee, free return shipping, and we give a ten dollar Amazon gift card to anyone who returns their device because they are not satisfied. So basically, if someone tries a Muscle Hammer and doesn’t like it and returns it, they actually end up ten dollars ahead! We are not aware of any other company in the world that is willing to pay customers if they don’t like their product. We also guarantee a three day repair turnaround if your device breaks under warranty.
Carrie Ann: It’s great that you offer a guarantee like that! Is there any specific group of people who can benefit more from the Muscle Hammer?
Craig: People in pain caused by chronic muscle tension or any soft tissue inflammation, athletes who want to perform better and recover faster, and people who just love massage.
Carrie Ann: Well, I know I certainly fit into that group. What’s a special move, placement or attachment for the Muscle Hammer that more people should know about?
Craig: With the five attachments that come with a Muscle Hammer, users will always get exactly what they want, from a soothing relaxing massage to an intense deep tissue massage.
Carrie Ann: Is there a muscle that people tend to ignore that they should be covering with the Muscle Hammer?
Craig: Not really; everyone is different. They just need to use it in areas that cause them pain or discomfort or hinder their athletic performance.
Carrie Ann: Should people take care to protect their bones while using the Muscle Hammer and are there practices or attachments you would recommend to help keep them safe?
Craig: We offer one tip that can be used directly on bones if desired – we call it the “Accordion” tip and it is designed to absorb impact. It is great to use on or around bones, and also great for kids, seniors, and thinly muscled individuals who may not be able to handle the hard impact of the other tips. It is so soft, you can even use it for a relaxing face massage.
Carrie Ann: Is there anyone who shouldn’t use the Muscle Hammer?
Craig: If someone is very fragile and is known to have weak bones, we recommend they do not use a Muscle Hammer. It is a very powerful device meant to provide deep tissue therapy.
Carrie Ann: Is there any other advice or knowledge about taking care of the body you’d like to add?
Craig: Your body does not last forever. You need to take care of it. Chronic muscle tension and soft tissue injuries in general can always lead to worse injuries and more pain if not addressed. By owning a Muscle Hammer, you can immediately address muscle tension and injuries as they arise, which will help keep your body healthy and active for longer!
Carrie Ann: Thank you so much again for sharing with us about this incredible product. I love my Muscle Hammer and am so thankful for the relief it’s brought me in the time I’ve been using it.
For more information about specific times to use the Muscle Hammer, Craig suggested this video created by the Muscle Hammer team. It advises that the four best times a day to use Muscle Hammer are first thing in the morning to relieve post-sleep stiffness, before a workout to loosen up and prevent injury, after a workout to optimize recovery, and right before sleep to help your muscles relax.
For me, the Sana Health device was truly a gift from the universe. I’ve been very open about my struggles with pain stemming from my autoimmune disorders and I was extremely grateful when representatives at Sana connected with me and offered to send me a device to help with my healing. I’m always deeply touched when people reach out to me about my health journey and this product is incredible.
When you live with conditions like fibromyalgia, lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome or struggle with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis or spinal stenosis like I do, the pain can often be accompanied by brain fog, blurry vision, frustration, depression and anxiety. In my experience this can all contribute to a feeling of deep disorientation and disconnection inside your body. Throughout this past year, the stressful conditions of the pandemic translated to a surge in my pain levels which even forced me to take off time from work. During that period I incorporated the Sana device into my healing routine and I found that it had the ability to bring my body down from its heightened fight-or-flight state. When I’m getting ready to use the device I’ll find a comfy place to lie down and go through some meditations. Sometimes I’ll even pull out my BEMER Pad, but that’s a story for a different day.
I’m so grateful to Sana for this device. Using it always grounds me, calms my system down and gets me back in sync with myself. It also makes me feel so cool and futuristic! I’m very excited to spread the word about devices like Sana’s that can help people live a better life. We had the chance to speak to Richard Hanbury, the founder and CEO of Sana Health about his personal journey in pain management and how he hopes to change lives with Sana’s technology. Get ready to be inspired by his incredible story.
Carrie Ann: Richard, thank you for taking the time to share your story with us and give us more information about this incredible technology. How does the technology in the Sana device work? What’s the science behind it?
Richard: The device uses carefully coordinated pulses of light and sound to produce a deep state of relaxation very quickly. This process works by entrainment. Entrainment is when the brain senses a speed and a pattern in incoming signals and adopts them. This is the same reason that fast paced music wakes you up, and lullabies relax— we take this process to its most precise, to produce the exact patterns in the brain that bring deep relaxation.
Carrie Ann: I think this is why the device appeals to me so much— I have always been deeply affected by music and rhythm, so the concept of entrainment makes a lot of sense to me. May I ask, do you suffer from chronic pain yourself?
Richard: I developed the first prototype to save my own life— I had been given a 5 year life expectancy because of severe nerve damage caused by spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. The device wiped out all of my nerve damage pain, and now I am a health and wellness user. We are carrying out clinical trials in both fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain in pursuit of an FDA approval for these conditions. (Editor’s Note: At the time of publication, Sana has received breakthrough designation for the treatment of fibromyalgia.)
For most people Sana is not a silver bullet like it was for me. We are aiming to be a tool in peoples toolkits, to use as and when works for them, to help manage their condition. At present we are on market for improving sleep and wellness.
Carrie Ann: In my journey with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus and spinal stenosis I have learned that sleep is truly vital to any sort of healing or wellness.
I always believe that people find a life in healing because they have gone through something themselves in their personal life. What inspired this device to be created?
Richard: The above injuries were caused by my having to crash a Jeep off a bridge in the Yemen, near the capital Sanaa— hence the company name. I went 60 feet down into a dry river bed, broke my back, ripped my aorta, and sustained a brain injury. I was clinically dead for eight minutes, in a coma for six weeks, then in hospital for a further year.
In hospital I realized I was in too much pain to learn to meditate. But when a film put me in a flow state, I realized I might be able to create a new type of pain relief. At first this was just for me, but it has become a lifelong mission to get this out to help others.
Carrie Ann: Thank you so much for sharing that. What an incredibly inspiring story; I can truly feel your passion for helping others. Now, what do you say to people who think medication is the only way to deal with pain?
Richard: If you are suffering and you are getting the relief you want from pain meds, and the side effects are not too severe, and you are happy, then congratulations on successful pain management. For everyone else, then medication is likely just part of a solution to get you to your least amount of pain possible.
Carrie Ann: For people who suffer from chronic pain, pain management is truly like the holy grail and finding ways not to have to use medication is such a great gift. I’ve used quantum biofeedback in the past; is the Sana device similar to that?
Richard: The similarity is that both systems aim to correct imbalances. The massive advantage of Sana is that it is done at home whenever someone needs it, and provides instant benefits.
Courtesy of Sana Health
Carrie Ann: I love how accessible the device is and how it’s always at hand when needed. How often can we use the Sana device and what is the best way to use it for pain management?
Richard: I now use it whenever I fly long-haul, whenever I work too late and need to speed-unwind for bed, or middle of the day for a nap if I only have 20 minutes to get some zip back to my day.
For pain management the clinical trials are being run with the instructions to use twice a day and whenever symptoms get too much for you to enjoy what you are doing. Once we have finished the clinical trials, and gained FDA approval, then we will be able to release the results of those studies as to how the device is best used to treat pain.
Carrie Ann: This is exciting as someone who suffers from fibromyalgia. Is there a type of pain that this works better on?
Richard: Our early results suggest any pain that is made worse by stress, anxiety or sleep disruption, we might be able to help with. The clinical trials in fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain are the first two, and many more will follow.
Carrie Ann: I can definitely attest to the fact that pain is made worse by anxiety and sleep disruption, so thank you for putting your efforts into helping people like me to experience more relief. Can you explain the connection between using the mask and better sleep?
Richard: In my early days with the first prototype, I realized that if I received pain as I was going to sleep – it improved my time to sleep and my quality of sleep, and this reduced my pain for all of the following day. Getting to sleep is easier and sleep is better quality, if you are more relaxed as you are going to sleep – the device achieves this.
Carrie Ann: Richard, thank you so much again for sharing all of this knowledge and for dedicating your life to relieving pain. As someone who lives with chronic pain from my autoimmune conditions, I want to thank you for looking for solutions. Not only is the Sana device interesting looking and comfortable to wear, but I’ve felt noticeable results when I’ve used it. Thank you for reaching out to me and thank you for helping people who are working to find solutions for pain relief. I look forward to following this revolutionary device’s journey in the future.
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