​Depression is an all-too-common way we humans have been suffering recently. Being depressed is not the body's natural state. Everyone feels down sometimes, but when the low mood is chronic, lasting for weeks or months and we lose interest in the things that we formerly loved or felt passionate about, it is a major red flag and cause of concern. Depression needs to be taken very seriously because there's hope and promise to get out of it! It is totally ok to be depressed; it is important to call a spade a spade. Assessing the issue is the first step of getting the help we need. 
 
Depression is a call to action. It means that we are not in our optimal zone of health, and that has serious effects on our lives. Relationships suffer, work performance suffers, self care suffers. Depression has a huge toll on our lives and on those around us. Our bodies respond physically to our mental state. When we are depressed, our immune system functionality lowers, and we are more prone to getting sick. Depression also wreaks havoc on our sleep cycles. Staying up too late getting too little sleep and sleeping too much can disrupt the normal functions of our organs and making it harder to do the things we need to in a day. It is a gargantuan task, climbing out of depression, and that is why we need more than one solution in our toolbox to lean on when we are dealing with depression ourselves or helping a loved one who is experiencing depression. 
 
Good diet and exercise, self care and work productivity is all a part of maintaining good health. Getting enough time outdoors and re-connecting with nature is especially important. Your cells want to work well. Your body wants to be well. We all have an internal bias towards positive change, including every cell in your body. Your body works so hard for you every day, breathing, digesting, and clearing out your head takes on a literal meaning, going for a walk and getting some fresh air can make a huge difference in your day. A way to “cheat” and get exposed to the earth's electromagnetic fields without going outside is laying on a low intensity pulsed electromagnetic field system. Trying new things, noticing our internal sensations is important for changing our relationships to ourselves. Blossoming into the best version of ourselves isn't going to happen if we stay stuck mentally or physically. 
 
There are many ways to ease depressive symptoms and address areas of our lives that are not working; our goal is to make life as depression free as possible. Sometimes that means changing some things in our lives that are no longer working for us. Letting go of habits that are no longer serving us is not easy, but long term, it'll make us happier. Understanding what the causes of depression can be complicated, but only you know yourself best and what needs to happen. Nobody can tell you how to live or what makes you happy. Listening to your internal voice and trusting your intuition is crucial to developing a positive self-image and shifting out of depression. 

​Maybe it's something as small as getting a new hobby, activity, self care tool or something as big as moving to a new city! Doing the self-reflection of what is working in your life is necessary for changing it. Look at taking stock of everything, from your daily habits - food, water consumption, work, exercise, relationship, and visioning where you would like to be in 5 year's time. Goal setting is an important part of leading a successful life. Becoming someone who you would admire is a good way to frame your mindset around changing your life. If you can dream it, you can achieve it! A little sunshine in your day makes a world of difference to a cloudy mood. Surround yourself with things and people that make you happy and keep you motivated. Make sure to include good nature in your life, even when you get out of depression! 
 
A CLOSER LOOK

Approximately 30% of people with depression are resistant to antidepressant medication. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been found effective when combined with antidepressants.  A study was done to evaluate the antidepressant effect when given in conjunction with low-intensity transcranial pulsed electromagnetic fields. The study was a sham-controlled double-blind study comparing 5 weeks of active T-PEMF, or sham T-PEMF. All participants had previously shown resistance to treatment with medication. Weekly assessments were done using both clinical ratings and patient ratings. The sham group saw no change after 4 weeks. Participants doing active T-PEMF showed significantly better outcomes, with the changes occurring within the first weeks of the study. The T-PEMF treatment was superior to sham treatment in participants and few side effects were observed. (study found in the Society of Biological Psychiatry 2010, Martiny)

Pain is our first feeling when we are born. It is really painful to take our first breath as we enter the world. Every single person on this planet has experienced pain, and it is not fun. For many people, pain is a constant part of life. We live in a brutal world, and injuries are something that happen to the best of us. Accidents happen in even our daily life, both in the workplace and at home - bumping our heads on the car, slamming our fingers in the door, stubbing our toes...that's life! Not to mention staying physically active, sports injuries are a part of the equation of pain as well. Chronic and acute pain from injuries both new and old, arthritis, various chronic digestive disorders, and other autoimmune conditions are an unfortunate reality for people of all ages. In the Buddhist rhetoric, pain and suffering is a part of life, something to be expected. That does not make enduring it any more pleasant or easy!  Everyone experiences pain, but it does not have to be that way. Being pain free is possible, at least in your body. 
 
Pain is a sign from your body that something is wrong. A lot of the time the pain we feel is a result from inflammation in an injured area, or an area in our body that is not functioning properly. Our nerves misfiring can also be a cause of pain. It is a complicated symptom to nail down an exact cause as it depends on the individual and what they do in their life. Muscular pain, postural pain from repetitive motion injuries, even pain from sleeping in a suboptimal position is quite common and affects us all at one time or another. 
 
There are many schools of thought about pain management and pain rehabilitation. Rest is important, but it is not always the answer when there is pain involved. Motion is lotion! Getting your cells functioning and neurons firing properly is always the goal in any form of rehabilitation. A healthy body is naturally pain free. Reaching for over-the-counter medications taxes the liver, organs, and nutritional absorption capabilities in the body. It may work for a short while, but it has its cost. The pain comes back and then we tend to be at square one if we do not or cannot get rid of the cause of the pain. Rehabilitation practices like physio, chiropractic, and acupuncture, renting a PEMF system and proper rehabilitation exercises are a good way to prevent and deal with injuries. 
 
The importance of regular meals and a healthy diet can't be overlooked either, it can especially speed up healing, and also prevent some forms of pain as well.  Nature informs our bodies to heal, we all possess the innate ability to heal ourselves. Tapping into those healing functions is easier when we surround ourselves with the forces of nature, clean air, clean water, and plenty of time outdoors. Low intensity pulsed electromagnetic fields give our bodies a boost of optimal cellular function when time isn't on our side and is great for pain management when we don't have the time to do all the other things that help with pain rehabilitation.
 
Natural pain management tools are always a kinder and more sustainable option on the human body, but sometimes they do not work as quickly as we need or want them to. Healing is not linear, there will be ups and downs. Healing pain is not linear either, it will come back, sometimes get worse before it gets better. This is normal. Pain is the source of a lot of frustration. As if life is not frustrating enough! A positive mindset can do wonders for motivating us and for healing pain.
 
Luckily, there is lots we can do about the pain we feel. Getting our bodies to be able to move without pain takes some time and dedication, and consistency. It takes consistent effort, but the payoff is priceless. Living in pain is limiting. We all want to lead limitless and healthy lives, taking care of our bodies naturally is the cornerstone of feeling good inside our own skin. Restoring optimal cell functioning is the highway to health and to staying young, and there are so many options to try! 
 
A CLOSER LOOK AND PRACTITIONER EXPERIENCE
 
Musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis, tendinitis, sprains and strains, fractures, post-op pain, osteoporosis, wounds, neuralgias, neuropathies, hip disorders, muscle spasms, spinal stenosis, disc degeneration, spinal injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches/migraines, and tennis/golfer’s elbow are among the most common pain sources that PEMF’s have been used for.
In one study done on PEMF and back pain, the findings suggested that PEMFs should be applied on a consistent basis over an extended period to achieve the best results. In that study 95% of the participants found relief.
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As a PEMF Practitioner, at least 60-70% of my clients are coming to see me for chronic pain conditions. Some see a small reduction in just one session, most see a reduction in three or more sessions, rarely does it take weeks of sessions to produce some change. All clients are different though and the results really depend on the length of time they’ve been experiencing the pain and how responsive their body is to PEMFs. Most clients when they experience a reduction of pain by 25-50%, don’t want to lose that momentum! My clients will often rent an Omnium1 for 1-2 weeks or simply purchase their own system for home use to continue their progress and maintain a more pain free life.  Pain is the easiest condition to measure accurately as it is something a client can notice quite quickly as they live with it every day. Rating it on the scale of 1-10 is a great tool to use with my clients both in clinic, during rentals, and for my home users. 

One client of mine who had spinal stenosis came to me at a 10/10 level of pain. He had already tried a variety of therapies both conventional and alternative with no success. In one session with the iMRS he rated his pain from a 10/10 to an 8/10. Over the next 8 sessions he was able to bring that rating down to a near zero. This client bought his own iMRS and now maintains an exceptionally low pain rating and a much better quality of life!

Sleep is the most important part of a successful tomorrow. We recover from the day, and our bodies have a change to regenerate and grow new cells. We wake up each day with 1500 new neurons, 100 billion immune cells from our bone marrow, and 250 billion red blood cells. It is incredible when you look at the numbers. That is a lot of work our bodies do! No wonder why we get so tired at the end of the day. Our bodies make miracles happen. 
 
Being tired and feeling exhausted does not necessarily translate to a restful and restorative sleep, unfortunately. Many people suffer from poor sleep, and the causes and symptoms vary. From mental disturbances to too much late-night screen time or eating too late before bed, drinking too much caffeine, or eating too much sugar, the factors that contribute to a failure of a good night's rest never seem to end. No matter the reason, getting a good night's sleep can easily make the biggest difference in productivity, wellbeing, and health. 
 
Sleep is especially important for not only our bodies, but our brains as well. Humans have evolved to sleep throughout the night, making sure that our brains rest and reset for the following day. There was a study that found that a common symptom of a shorter sleep is eating about 500 more calories the day after. Our hunger cycles are also intricately linked to our sleep cycles. During sleep, our organs can rest and regenerate from a hard day's work. Getting 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is key to keeping our hormone levels in check, our hunger at an appropriate level, and our stress at bay. 
 
The modern-day lifestyle is notorious for cutting into our sleep cycles. Too many things in our immediate home environment disrupt the peaceful rest we all need and deserve. Stress, screen time, working in different time zones, binge watching Netflix, increased background noise levels from living in cities all exacerbate our abilities to wind down after a full day. It is important to notice our habits on how we work, and rest to see what we can change. No change is too small when we are needing to get a good rest. Passing out on the couch rarely makes for a good night's rest. Making the bedroom a sleeping sanctuary is a good first step. Getting a weighted blanket and putting on some relaxing spa music to help us get to our REM cycles seems to work well for a lot of people, no matter what age we are. 
 
The earth has a sleep and wake cycle, and to keep healthy we cannot separate ourselves from the natural cadence of the world we live in. Our everyday life is often in direct conflict with the natural rhythms of our planet. The natural electromagnetic frequencies of the earth help us to keep our cells in the optimal range of health, regulating our melatonin, the sleep hormone. Low frequency PEMF devices mimic the earth's electromagnetic field from the comfort of our homes, where we are less exposed to nature and the outdoors. The evolution of humans living indoors and not nomadically is a benefit for convenience, warmth, and comfort, but also a detriment at times to our cells, and hormones. PEMF rentals are an easy way of trying to get some of that natural electromagnetic field into our lives again and returning to a more natural circadian rhythm.  
 
Having a wind down routine for the evening is important to incorporate into our own good sleep etiquette. Whatever works for you, be it mindful breathwork, slow and gently movement techniques like yin yoga, stretching or foam rolling, a session on a low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field device (the Omnuim1 has an amazing sleep setting for this specific purpose), or journaling or reading a hard-copy book; it is important to take your sleep as seriously as you take your time being awake. Keeping a sleep journal can be helpful to motivate your progress to a peaceful slumber, and many devices and apps are available for tracking your sleeping habits too. 
 
Once you start getting good sleep, it is easy to notice how just one bad night can throw off the next day. Chronic sleeplessness is all too common, and our world will be a more peaceful place if we all got the rest we deserved. It's always up to you to keep yourself and your healthy habits your top priority. Sleep on it! 
 
A CLOSER LOOK

Magnetic fields from an extremely low intensity and low frequency (0.5 mT/5 Gauss 4 Hz) were tested in a double-blind study. Effects on sleep were studied prior to treatment after 2 and then again after 6 weeks of treatment. The results found were that PEMF’s applied at this field and intensity were effective in reducing sleep disturbances in 83% of the exposed group. (Fischer)
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In another 4-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study, PEMF was tested for insomnia. One hundred patients were randomly placed in either active treatment or placebo groups. These groups each had three categories: trouble falling asleep (sleep latency), interrupted sleep, or nightmares. The study assessed 6 areas: sleep latency, frequency of sleep interruptions, sleepiness upon rising, daytime sleepiness, difficulty with concentration, and daytime headaches. In the active-treatment group, the values of all 3 categories had significantly improved results, no one had any adverse effects.  70% of the people given active treatment experienced substantial relief, 24% had clear relief, and 6% had slight relief. In the placebo group, only one patient had clear relief, 49% had some improvement, and 49% saw no change. Overall, the PEMF therapy helped about 90% of the individuals, versus only about 50% of the placebo group. This study was useful in showing that most basic types of sleep problems can be substantially helped with the use of PEMF therapies. (Pelka)
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