The Spectrum of Health with Dr. Christine Schaffner

Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meaning or are they merely the reflection of random brain activity? What purpose do dreams serve? Questions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind, and as confounding and exciting today as when nineteenth-century scientists first attempted to unravel them. Our brains spend the entire time we're asleep processing the memories we formed during the day before, strengthening them, filing them, discovering patterns, and generally figuring out what they mean all so that they will be more useful to us in our future waking lives. In this week's episode of Spectrum of Health, Dr. Christine Schaffner talks with Dr. Bob Stickgold to discuss how our dreams play an integral role in our nightly memory processing, as well as how these new memories might fit with what we already know. Dr. Bob Stickgold is a cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the co-author of When Brains Dream as well as published over a hundred scientific papers on sleep and dreams.

Exciting new research shows that when the adult brain is damaged it can repair itself. Brain cells that have been injured have the capability of re-growing new connections that, under the right conditions, can help to restore lost function. In this episode, Dr. Christine Schaffner and Dr. Greg Eckel discuss regenerative medicine and the development of a progressive brain regenerative program. Dr. Greg Eckel became increasingly aware of and concerned about the overuse of medications with children while teaching preschool, and this experience inspired his entry into Naturopathic and Chinese Medicine. In 2001 he co-founded Nature Cures Clinic. The combination of Naturopathic and Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and botanical medicine) has provided Dr. Eckel with a variety of tools to treat both acute and chronic illness while valuing the principles of prevention and wellness. You can find a copy of the show notes at drchristineschaffner.com

Sleep is required to maintain your immune system, regulate appetite and metabolism, and support cardiovascular health. Also, with chronically ill individuals, it can be a "Catch-22" because sleep is needed to heal, but they can't sleep because of the illness. Fortunately, there have been recent advancements to support restorative deep sleep. In this episode, Dr. Christine Schaffner takes a deep dive into the widespread modern-day issue of Deep Sleep Deficiency (DSD), signs and symptoms that you may be suffering from DSD, the most recent research and advancements as well as 5 steps you can take to detox your sleep.

iving with chronic illness often brings on feelings of chronic worry and despair. These emotions can lead to a frenetic pattern of worry about symptoms spiraling into a perpetual anxious state. In this episode, Ashok Gupta shares with Dr. Christine Schaffner about neuroplasticity brain retraining, also called limbic system retraining, and how focusing on the nervous system can create surprising results for chronic illness. Ashok Gupta is an internationally renowned speaker, filmmaker, and health practitioner who has dedicated his life to supporting people through chronic illness and achieving their potential. Ashok suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome around 25 years ago when he was studying at Cambridge University. Through neurological research that he conducted, he managed to get himself 100% better. He then set up a clinic to treat others and then publish the well-known recovery program known as the Gupta Program in 2007.

Our gastrointestinal tract maintains a highly diverse microbial population that plays an essential role in nutritional metabolism, protection against pathogens, and the development of our immune system. The intestinal biota is increasingly considered a mutual partnership for the maintenance of health. Over the years, the microorganisms in our intestines have become recognized in the development of the immune system. In this episode, Dr. Schaffner sits down with microbiota researcher, Dr. Andrea McBeth to discuss her fascinating work with fecal transplant and the incredible postbiotic product that has been developed from this groundbreaking research.

There's much more to astrology than weekly horoscopes, personality types, and predictions for the future. It is a guide to living in sync with the natural rhythms of the universe to achieve optimal health and astonishing success. Dr. Christine Schaffner has an in-depth conversation with astrologer and transformational coach Jennifer Racioppi about her new book, Cosmic Health: Unlock Your Healing Magic with Astrology, Positive Psychology, and Integrative Wellness a groundbreaking cross-disciplinary approach to cultivating physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. By honoring your individuality, your role in the universe, nature, and the seasonality of life, you will be armed with the knowledge—and magic—you need to cultivate uncompromising health.

Dr. Christine Schaffner talks with Immanence Health physician, Dr. Tara Boyd about the growing epidemic of pediatric neurologic and immune dysfunction and her journey that led her to this medicine and ultimately to join the team at Immanence Health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women, despite that, we can prevent it 90% of the time with lifestyle modifications. Diet, Nutrient intake, Fitness, and stress management are the keys to preventing and reversing heart disease and are more effective than medications or cardiac procedures. In this episode, Dr. Christine Schaffner sits down with Dr. Steven Masley to discuss how you can prevent and even reverse heart disease, how our gut can influence heart disease, and much more! Dr. Masley has spent the last 20 years researching how to prevent and reverse heart disease and has published multiple studies showing that people can turn back the clock on arterial aging by following the four pillars of his program, The 30-Day Heart Tuneup program.

Our stem cells serve a unique purpose and persist throughout life. They replace cells lost to homeostatic turnover, injury, and disease. However, their functions decline with age which contributes to degeneration and dysfunction. Imagine if we could activate those cells to regenerate new cells and utilize them to support our health and wellness at any age. Dr. Christine Schaffner sits down with David Schmidt, inventor, and founder of LifeWave, to discuss stem cell research using LightWave technology and how light therapy can be used to regenerate stem cells. David Schmidt is the inventor of LifeWave technology and founder and CEO of LifeWave. The LifeWave Technology was born out of three years of intense research by David into the concept of being able to naturally increase energy and stamina through elevation of fat burning, utilizing wireless communication to the human body via phototherapy.

Did you know that you don't "have" energy? You ARE energy. The lives and teachings of many healers through the ages have highlighted this fact. Dr. Christine sits down with Lee Holden to talk about how energy can unlock the body's ability to heal itself as well as the true power of our mind-body systems. They also discuss Lee's project, The Superhuman Experience Docuseries. Lee Holden, an internationally renowned QiGong Master and human potential guide, has helped more than 10,000 students through his videos, workshops, and teacher training to heal from injury and disease, slow the aging process and maximize their energy.