Good Vibrations

By Cindy Clarke

Energy. It’s the vital force that pulsates through everything we know and are on Earth. It’s the feeling that vibrates through us when we interact with loved ones and strangers, when we swim in the ocean or walk barefoot along the beach. It’s in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the emotions we feel, in what we think, how we act and where we live. It can be good or bad, nature’s own or manmade. It can heal or harm, and it is wholly responsible for our overall well-being, body, mind and soul.

The human body is an energetic being, as are all life forms. From the tiniest cells in our bodies to our vital organs and the essence of life itself, energetic vibrations govern all of our interactions. How they impact our health and influence our choices are key to living our best life says integrative medicine specialist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a board-certified cardiologist, anti-aging physician, bioenergetic psychotherapist and author of dozens of holistic health books, including Heartbreak and Heart Disease and an upcoming one on high vibrational living.

We had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Sinatra recently about this very topic, tapping into his renowned expertise on health, heart and healing and the energetic frequencies that power up our lives. He explained that “Our minds really are the greatest tools we have for raising our vibration. Our knowledge of high and low vibrational foods helps us make the best choices about what to eat and drink each day. Understanding the energetic nature of our thoughts and feelings allows us to work with them, and create vibrational experiences that support rather than diminish, our health and wellbeing.”

“Literally every aspect of our lives affects vibration,” he said. The grumpy man you meet while getting your morning coffee gives off vibes that bring you down. The stranger you sit next to in the movie theater whose presence makes you feel uneasy. The little girl whose laugh makes you break out into a smile. Your pet that welcomes you home each day with an enthusiastic wagging tail. We are all vulnerable to the vibrational energy of others, good and bad. Even rocks and trees have vibrations. Everything does.

Medical researchers have long talked about the vibrations of cells, noting the difference between healthy and dysfunctional ones. Illnesses, like cancer and malaria, can slow down and lower the vibration of cells, as can depression and other mental and emotional conditions. Healthy cells pulsate effortlessly. The higher the vibration, the stronger and healthier we become. Lower vibrational energies weaken our vital force and can make us sick. Fear is a lower vibrational emotion, so are rage, jealousy and grief. On the other hand, love, kindness, joy and the like are higher vibrational emotions that buoy your spirit and lighten your load.

We live in an environment that is contaminated with invisible energy vibrations that can seriously impact our health. These come from technologies we’ve developed to make our lifestyles easier, including computers, cell phones, microwaves ovens, and cordless phones. The key to thriving in this environment, says the good doctor, is to be productive and not self-destructive at the same time.

“One of the great things about a high vibration lifestyle is that it helps us get back in touch with the natural rhythms of the body and nature,” he said. It’s about listening to our bodies and emotions, intuitively knowing what’s best and consciously nourishing them with a healthy diet of organically produced, naturally grown food and positive thoughts. It’s about grounding wherever you can and unplugging whenever you can. And it’s about making healthy choices and exercising every day so that you can reenergize your body and honor your life.

How do we go about accessing these good vibrations? Dr. Sinatra advocates seven lifestyle pillars that ramp up your energetic vibes.

Follow a Mediterranean- inspired diet.

There’s something special about the Mediterranean basin that makes people from these places live longer and healthier than almost anywhere else. A lot of it has to do with their nutrient-dense, chemical-free diets which consist of olive oil – the secret sauce of the Mediterranean diet and a proven inflammation fighter – fresh fruit, vegetable, and fish, sardines are a favorite, along with a lack of unprocessed, uncontaminated foods and a little bit of red wine! Organic farmers produce their food products the old-fashioned way so he always advises buying from locally sourced, organic vendors when you can. And stay away from synthetically manipulated GMOs and sugar! Dr. Sinatra says the 80/20 rule works best here, with 80% of your diet from healthy fats (like olive oils and nuts), colorful vegetables and fruits, and legumes with just 20% from animal protein.

Exercise. Keep your energy flowing to counteract any negative energy that can build up inside. Blocked energy lowers our vibration and raises our risk of illnesses like heart attacks, strokes and more. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to do what you need and want to do.

Supplement your health regimen.
Dr. Sinatra recommends nutritional supplements, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids, COQ10 and a high-potency multi vitamin with B vitamins and antioxidants, to support a healthy diet. He’s a firm believer in the power of nutritional supplements to promote optimum health, but at the end of the day, he says you still need to eat a high vibrational, anti-inflammatory diet.

Get grounded. Just as our bodies make vitamin D by absorbing the sun’s energy through our skin, we benefit from the abundant electrical nutrition that’s available to us from the earth’s surface in the form of free electrons that pass from the ground into our bodies. The Earth’s natural electromagnetic energy is not only high vibrational, it’s also one of the best inflammation fighters there is – and inflammation is the leading cause of many chronic illnesses.

Embrace positivity. Be grateful, kind and forgiving. Dr. Sinatra calls this a high vibe trifecta. Research links gratitude to stronger immunity, fewer aches and pains, better sleep, and even lower blood pressure. Kindness is contagious energy in motion toward a higher vibration. When we hold on to past hurts with negative thoughts and feelings, that energy is trapped within and blocks our access to higher, healthier vibrational energy. Managing stressful emotions and thoughts is important too. According to Dr. Sinatra, stuck emotions create emotional obstacles that prevent us from fully engaging with life. When the energy can’t flow freely through our bodies, our potential for vitality is compromised, and our vibration slows down.

Detoxing is critical. We all have toxins in our bodies from the air we breathe and the foods and water we consume on a daily basis so it is inherent upon us to eliminate them every day. These toxins include mercury, insecticides and chemicals which all lower our vibration. According to Dr. Sinatra, eating a high-fiber, bowel-cleansing diet is one of the best ways to help your body detox, as is sweating out the heavy metals and toxins that lie just beneath the subcutaneous layer of your skin in an infrared sauna or while exercising.

Protect yourself from EMFs. On some level, manmade EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) stress your body, ultimately impacting your vibrational energy. EMFs can allow toxins to permeate the brain and damage brain cells and may also cause health issues related to inflammation. Unplugging from technology, turning off WiFi, and using a landline when possible are great ways to mitigate any potential impacts of our modern-day lifestyles.

“It’s easy to begin making changes that will improve yours,” advises Dr. Sinatra. “Just apply this one rule: When faced with a decision—whether it’s about what to eat, what products to buy, or even what you want to do with your spare time—choose the option that’s as pure, natural, and true to who you are as possible. If you can do that, you’ll be on your way to higher vibrational energy and better health.”