Keystone Empowered Blog
We invite you all to discover health and wellness in a way you’ve never experienced before. On our blog, you’ll find Dr. Hart and Dr. Aoki will provide tips, tutorials and articles that cover many topics.
Looking for information you can't find? Go ahead and ask whatever is on your mind. We are here for you.
The Holistic Benefits of Foam Rolling
As a holistic health practitioner, I’m constantly looking for natural, accessible ways for my patients to boost wellness—and foam rolling is a game-changer! Let’s dive into what foam rolling is, why it works, and how to integrate it into your routine for optimal health.
Forever Chemicals: Dealing with the New Reality
“Our choices have consequences.” Isn’t this what we aim to teach our children? This has become the case with forever chemicals. Industrial researchers found many ways to increase convenience and solve common problems with man-made forever chemicals but did not consider the long-lasting consequences. This is the story of PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Like Peas and Carrots, Mold and Lyme Often Go Together
Dive into Dr. Hart's latest groundbreaking article on Sinusitis Wellness and explore the intriguing connections between mold and chronic Lyme disease. Discover how these two seemingly distinct issues intertwine and learn practical steps to protect your health. Don't miss this essential read for anyone seeking holistic wellness!
Skin Irritation and Itching: Parasitic Infections Exposed
Parasites are more common than you might think, ranging from microscopic organisms to large roundworms. They can invade our bodies through various means and cause a range of symptoms, including skin irritation and itching. Let's dive into where these parasites come from and the effects they can have on your health.
SIBO Demystified: Balancing Your Digestive Health
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO, is a complex condition that often results in a maze of symptoms without clear guidance from conventional medicine. This blog aims to shed light on alternative and holistic ways to understand and manage SIBO, emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to digestive health.
Constipation, Diarrhea, and Your Gut Microbiome: A Roadmap
Digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea are more than just uncomfortable inconveniences; they can significantly impact your quality of life. Understanding the critical role of the gut microbiome is essential for maintaining effective digestive health and overall well-being.
Navigating Lyme's Nervous Maze: Managing Neurological Lyme Symptoms
Up to 15% of Lyme disease patients experience neurological symptoms, which can range from debilitating nerve pain to cognitive impairments, underscoring the importance of expert intervention. Here are some strategies for managing the early impacts.
Brain Fog, Out of Shape, and Weight Gain for No Apparent Reason
Many of our patients are eating right and exercising but are still fatigued, brain fogged, losing muscle, easily winded, and gaining weight! There are solutions, though. Sometimes we need to approach things a bit differently and look deeper to consider the impact that mold illness has on fitness and fat loss. Learn about it here.
Behavioral Regression in PANS/PANDAS: Navigating the Storm
For parents and caregivers, witnessing a sudden change in pediatric behavior and personality can be heart-wrenching. This phenomenon, often rooted in conditions known as Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS), can leave families defeated. This blog post highlights behavioral regression in PANS/PANDAS, and offers guidance and hope to those navigating this turbulent journey.
Combating Cognitive Decline in Biotoxin Illness: Tips for Mental Clarity
The impact of environmental factors on our cognitive abilities is a topic of increasing concern and research. Among these environmental factors, biotoxins — particularly those stemming from mold, heavy metals, and mycotoxins — stand out for their profound ability to affect brain function. Here we delve into the mechanisms through which biotoxins contribute to cognitive decline and offer actionable advice for restoring your mental clarity.
Mold and the Importance of Post-Remediation Small Particle Cleaning
With mold remediation, it's essential to ensure that the process is thorough and effective. Unfortunately, not all remediation efforts are created equal, and sometimes mold spores and toxins can be left behind, causing potential health hazards. In my experience, this happens at least half of the time. This is why proper steps and post-remediation small particle cleaning is crucial to ensure a safe and healthy living environment. Here’s how…
Navigating the Complexities of Fungal Overgrowth
Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) can be a root cause of unexplained GI symptoms. Ordinarily, candida coexists harmoniously in our digestive tract alongside the diverse array of bacteria that constitute the microbiome. However, when an overabundance occurs, it may inflict harm upon the intestinal lining or engage in prolonged skirmishes with the resident bacterial population. This prolonged conflict can deplete vital resources, ultimately leading to a compromised immune system. Here’s what you need to know.
The Blood Sugar Roller Coaster: Everything You Need to Know
Why should I worry about a sugary treat that is 25 grams of sugar? The problem is we don’t see or feel immediately what a prolonged diet of high sugar intake is going to do to our body. Then it will feel like it is too late when you go to your annual checkup and you are diagnosed with diabetes and they just prescribe you Metformin. I am going to help you understand how carbohydrates are broken down, what high blood sugar does to your body, and what you can do to avoid high blood sugar.
An Open Letter to Husbands about Mold
It can be difficult to watch your spouse suffer with a complex chronic illness, when it no one has figured out what is going on. And by difficult I mean sad, frustrating, terrifying, maddening, all of which create a sense of helplessness. What’s worse is when their illness doesn’t fit the standard medical framework, they are ostracized and abandoned by the very ones tasked to help them. They become what I call medical refugees, people left wandering from provider to provider, looking for the help they truly need.
A Broken Road to Helping Others Heal from Mold
My Story of Chronic Infections and Mold Illness — I hope that by sharing my journey of chronic infections and mold illness, I can give you hope and help you on your healing path. I feel that I am called to be a light on the path for this journey we call life and find it easy to guide others who are dealing with chronic illness because I know the path well, having walked it myself.
The Dark Side of Chocolate
A common phrase in functional medicine is "don't guess, test" and this is why we use multiple forms of testing to ensure that we are on the right path of healing for each client and patient. ConsumerReports did just that on many brands of dark chocolate to measure heavy metals. Multiple, organic, sustainable companies had very high levels of cadmium and lead, and some of the brands will surprise you!
Top 3 Causes of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) can be terrifying. For seemingly no reason, your skin flushes, heart races, blood pressure drops, your bod feels like it's burning, and breathing gets difficult. Pain and burning ramps up as your digestive tract starts to cramp. you may feel like you have an intense UTI. After working with many MCAS patients over the years, I find that you can narrow down your triggers and avoid them. Doing this over and over with clients and patients, I have seen 3 major root causes of Mast Cell Disorder.
The Body is Electric!! Are Your Batteries Drained?
The battery packs that store and create your electric energy are cells. The body was designed to organize these systems into electrical-energetic circuits, like in your house. These circuits contain a chain of organs/glands-muscles-meridians-teeth. This blog describes how to create, utilize, store and monitor your energy!
Guiding You on Your Unique Path to Healing
Most cases that come through our doors do amazingly well, but a small population later crashed when they went home. Since any good detective would then assume it was something in the patients’ houses causing the return of symptoms, we started to test more and more patients’ homes for environmental triggers. Test results confirmed that mold is a common culprit.
Fresh and Clean: A Simple Liver Flush
The liver is a powerful and hardy organ, able to repair itself. But it can only take so much abuse before it begins to wear down. Here is your guide to a simple liver flush you can perform a few times per year or even more often if needed. It takes 6 days to complete and is very gentle.