Health Coaching For Humanity

I recently had the privilege to interview IIN health coach, naturopath, entrepreneur, and humanitarian, Dr. Mary Jean Netario Cruz or Dr. Maggie, for Health Coach Week.  I admire her for so many reasons including her charisma, dedication and work in the health and wellness field, empowering marginalized communities,  interceding in times of local and national disaster and crisis, and her ability to heal and touch the poorest of the poor in the Philippines.  

Dr.  Maggie has received accolades by top magnesium authorities and scientists for her research and work and her Magiteque therapy.  

• Dr. Carolyn Dean MD, ND, the world renowned magnesium expert and author of The Magnesium Miracle called her "The Magnesium Maven."  She has also noted that Dr. Maggie is the only one that she knows who does magnesium therapy in a clinical setting.
   
• Dr. Stephanie Seneff of MIT said Dr. Maggie is a "co-warrior in the field of organic sulfur."

What is the importance of all of this?  It actually matters plenty.  According to Dr. Maggie, she has seen results with her Magiteque therapy for pain management, viral infections, dengue, influenza, measles, chicken pox, postherpatic neuralgia, shingles, herpes, ESRD for dialysis, enlarged thyroid, mental health conditions, comatose, eczema and other skin problems, dementia, Parkinson's disease, mental health issues, and tumors, paralysis, seizure, central nervous system issues, and much more.

---

A Conversation With Dr. Maggie

How did you become so passionate about health and wellness?

I am an accidental health coach!  Prior to this journey, I was a business consultant who did business automation, business systems and controls, and business software distribution until I found myself wanting to help empower disenfranchised communities. I earned an IIN scholarship because I connected an indigenous peoples organic farming project to a healthy meals school project.

What has been your greatest achievement as a health coach and as a naturopath doctor? 
 

Prior to becoming a health coach, I had no idea what it was.  Initially I thought it was a way to learn more about nutrition in a non-traditional setting.  As I began studying I realized it was more similar to consulting in the health realm.  I am more interested in helping disenfranchised communities so I focused my health coaching skills on community pain healing missions in remote and poor places.  I have also provided assistance whenever there is a disaster, like when the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), and more recently in the Marawi siege. Helping the displaced peoples in Marawi is probably one of my greatest successes.  The protocols I developed for people suffering from PTSD was adapted by Mindanao State University, Iligan Medical School Foundation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines among others.

What are the challenges of being a health coach in the Philippines?
 

I am not a typical health coach.  I focus more on addressing health-related social issues, particularly pain management for the mind, body and spirit – a “human system approach” for poor communities.  Currently my private practice and the contributions of wealthy individuals and organizations fund this initiative, but continuing to fund community healing missions is my biggest challenge.

I am intrigued with the Magiteque Pain Therapy Center.  Can you describe how the process of healing happens and what sessions look like for a patient?
 

Magiteque Therapy is an integration of both of my disciplines as a certified health coach and naturopath doctor.  Magiteque Therapy, depending on the health issue, can be done transdermally, orally or by inhalation.  It is safe for all ages and even for pregnant woman.  Clinical Magiteque Therapy starts with learning the patient’s health history followed by two hours of mineral spraying, inhalation or with an oral protocol combination.  For muscle pain, I combine trigger point techniques and energy healing.  The Magiteque Therapy concludes by taking a warm bath and then reassessing the patient’s condition.  Results are immediate.  A treatment plan can be designed after the first treatment, but in most cases is not needed. 
 

Congratulations on your new restaurant Chives Bistro and Market!  Please tell me what patrons can expect and experience.
 

If you have the palate for exquisite yet affordable food, Chives Bistro is the place to go.  Chives is a blend of Asian and European cuisine - fine dining in a casual setting.  We use nothing but freshly harvested food and no artificial flavorings.  Plus the passion our chef has for sumptuous healthy meals can really be tasted!  And I’m not just saying that because my son is the chef because I am not easily pleased when it comes to food, and the food really meets my standards.    I highly recommend that you visit us if you are ever in Manila!   

Please discuss your initiative the Community Home Substance Abuse Recovery Program or CSARP in connection to the war on drugs campaign of President Duterte.
 

Having taken the course “The Addicted Brain” at Emory University, I understand the role of electro-ionic minerals in neurotransmitters and this gave me a rare perspective especially in the Philippines.  When the war on drugs started, I began attending to addicts suffering from Substance Abuse Withdrawal Syndrome.  I had been treating similar symptoms in patients previously.  I created the “Seven Days Neuro-Detox Program” incorporating Magiteque therapy, EcoTherapy, Psychological First Aid and Positive Psychology.  Addicts have been thankful for this initiative. And I give lectures and seminars for those who want to learn more.  For my efforts, I was recognized by my hometown with the Dangal ng Pililla Award.

What's next for you in your amazing life journey?
 

Lots of things!  I am coming out with my first book, followed by “how to” booklets on the Magiteque therapy for different health issues.  Our FDA license is in process, which means we will be able to make affordable mineral sprays for the mass market soon.  This will definitely help a lot of people dealing with various pain issues, and will also fund the community healing missions we are doing.  I am beginning to focus on diabetes and would like to develop protocols to treat diabetes without the use of drugs, and then train medical professionals who are willing to learn about these protocols.  Long term, I dream about having my own well-being farm, where people can come to heal!

Marawi Siege PTSD Prevention And Care Initiative

You can learn more about the Battle of Marawi or the Marawi Siege HERE.  The battle happened in May 23, 2017 and lasted for five long months.  It's known as the longest urban battle in recent Philippine history.  

Dr. Maggie's PTDS Prevention and Care Initiative in Marawi was facilitated by Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera of Lipa with ArchbishopTony Ledesma of CDO and with the late Bishop Nitz Galido of Iligan to help Bishop of Marawi Edwin dela Peña.  

This is Dr. Maggie with Fr. Teresito "Chito" Soganub, the Marawi priest who was taken hostage, and who was under the care of Dr. Maggie for coaching and naturopathic treatment.

Below are some pictures during the Marawi Siege PTSD Prevention and Care Initiative.  There were trained volunteers who helped destress the Marawi IDPs.

Follow Dr. Maggie on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/epigeneticsprecursors 

Email:  magiteque@gmail.com

Follow Chives Bistro Restaurant and Market on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChivesPH

“I am not a typical health coach.  I focus more on addressing health-related social issues, particularly pain management for the mind, body and spirit – a ‘human system approach’ for poor communities.”

---

What Is The Role Of Health Coaches In Healthcare?

I’m Abby, a holistic health coach who graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and I’m continuing my education at Functional Nutrition. I am the founder and owner of curechoices.com.  I help people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes, and weight loss. My friendship with Elaine started in 2016 when we became accountability coaches for each other as part of the IIN curriculum. I would like to thank her for giving me the opportunity to write in her blog.

Everyone has a reason why they want to choose their career.  It was my own health problems that motivated me to choose a career in holistic nutrition and wellness. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, 10 months after giving birth to my second baby. When I was diagnosed, I was not happy with the idea of getting on a prescription medication for the rest of my life. I was looking into the possibilities of curing the disease. I discovered that I had to follow a disciplined protocol where I needed to make some dietary changes, along with the supplements and exercise to address the root cause of the problem. I was mentally prepared to do whatever it took to accomplish that.  Within few months I started to feel better.  I started to see the numbers of the anti-thyroid antibodies coming down and then gradually it came down to normal range.  I was able to put my Hashimoto’s in remission. In this journey of healing my disease, it dawned on me that the most important aspect of healing any disease is taking care of yourself by getting the proper nutrition, making the appropriate lifestyle changes, getting enough physical activities, and last but not least believing in yourself.

Over the last few decades there has been a significant rise in chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, food allergies, and obesity. When you visit a doctor for these kinds of illnesses, doctors work primarily to identify the symptoms and treat for the symptoms. They really don’t have enough time to dig deep to find the root cause of the problem or to find what is really going on with the patient.

This is where the role of health coaches comes in.  They can step in and provide support. The main role of a holistic health coach is to guide the clients toward a healthy lifestyle.  They help them not only with food but in all areas of their life – their relationships, spirituality, exercise, and career.  They can help their clients balance these because the imbalance of one can adversely affect the other areas.

Each person is unique with their individual requirements. One person’s physiology, cell structure, metabolism, and body structure are different from another person's. Each person has unique needs according to their age, gender, size, lifestyle, blood type, and ancestry. A holistic health coach can work according to the specific needs of their clients.  They can give you recipes and diet guidelines, exercise and lifestyle changes which can help their clients to achieve optimal health goals. Health coaches educate and support their clients throughout the process of healing.

A health coach is a mentor, friend, cheerleader, and guide.  He or she can help by recommending lifestyle and behavioral changes and by challenging the client to listen to their inner wisdom, identify their inner strengths, and transform their dreams into action!

I hope you enjoyed this article and feel free to leave comments!

Website: www.curechoices.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CureChoices/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curechoices/

“A health coach is a mentor, friend, cheerleader, and guide.”

---

Choice Meets Courage

Ever wish for life to slow down? Speed up? Change, but then don't. The “why is this happening right now?” feeling?  In a perfect world everyday would be filled with kindness and success right? There would never be children without food, or homeless. Families would always be thriving and happy. Our rivers and lakes would be teeming with life. The air would be clean and all races would respect and love one another. Only a few examples of course, yet when I think about this “perfect world” and even if those things, and more were the case all over the world -we would still naturally react from emotions; our human aspects exist. Somebody would still feel lonely, shed a tear from falling down, accidentally forget and burn the dinner, (you get the point), and pain and suffering would show up eventually. Somehow, the ability to appreciate all the light, all the goodness that is present, often comes hand in hand, from experiencing darkness.

Could feeling good be found in choice, and if so, what are we choosing?

Today we live in a place where we can get a lot of instant results. Push the button, search the web. Anything you do repeatedly will become habit. Even convenience. So, while knowing that goals take hard work, we hardly give them the daily effort they truly require. We convince ourselves there’s an easier way. A shortcut. Maybe an inspired moment will come and then we’ll be able to get the project done. And then a month goes by, and where are we? Same place, except not. We’ve changed, still. But in a way that’s made it more comfortable to accept the belief that we haven’t changed. That we aren’t built for the goals, or have enough resources to achieve them. This is just a perspective. I believe we are always in a process, it’s just a matter of what direction we are headed, and how we are feeling about it.

So, perhaps the world, as it is, with the good and the bad is more perfect than we ever thought it could be. And maybe the challenges throughout our day, truly do make us stronger, wiser, and more kind to the next person we meet. With this understanding I can attempt to move through my tribulations with more attitude of gratitude. And I can step forward into my troubles knowing that they are not permanent. Because like seasons, we are always shifting, changing, and given full opportunity to become more than we are at this moment.

As a Health Coach I’ve come to know that even when it looks like nothing happens in a day, and sometimes in a week, when there can be little obvious change, this is not the ultimate truth. Something is happening. Those small, maybe invisible, first steps are just as significant as the middle of the road. I am building awareness for what is changing and not only what lies at the end result. We often see the winter as cold, and long. Both true, but with every passing day, the sunlight is getting a little warmer, and the time until spring is actually becoming closer than ever before. So, perhaps a lack of success (right now) is related to becoming stuck feeling defeated, in thinking and mindset, and not fully embracing the process of evolving.

Today’s Effort is a platform where each person can take responsibility for their power, and use it to become the individual you want to be. To make the conscious effort in a direction that is ever flowing, ever changing, and be okay with that. To recognize that perfection is never stagnant, but always evolving. With each day we are given the power of choice and courage. To know this and to use these gifts are not one in the same. With my Health Coaching I strive to bring awareness and understanding to that simple difference. To feel the courage to make the choices that align with you as a whole being, then, I believe true healing takes place.

I am an advocate for health and wellness. I believe in health of the spirit as much as the body, and I know that every little effort that we make on a daily basis, will bring us closer to the life, and wellbeing which we all deserve and possess.

I encourage using a plan of daily action, which I call Today’s Effort, to achieve our intentions in life. Incorporation of daily action directed towards a purpose, can be a powerful way to embrace change. With this consistent effort I am brought a little closer to my goals, yes, but I am also a little more empowered by my strength and determination each day. I want to then follow up the next day with another small action step. This builds on itself and naturally I am drawn into my daily choices because they make me feel good. We don’t always have to experience the pain to appreciate the love. It’s there to show us the contrast, but not to last. We just have to remember to use our courage, and make the choices, in order to see and feel the change.

Today’s Effort : do something, a small action, that brings even the slightest feeling of lift to your shoulders. It can be anything that brings a smile. Maybe it's music, reading, or hobby work. Maybe it's finishing your school, or assignment on time. Choose something that you want to do because it ignites a feeling of joy. It’s in those moments, that the shift is happening.

In Joy,

Shaman

To learn more about Today’s Effort and the support a Health Coach can be for you, please visit todayseffort.com or connect with our vibe on social media @todayseffort

“And I can step forward into my troubles knowing that they are not permanent. Because like seasons, we are always shifting, changing, and given full opportunity to become more than we are in this moment.”

---