Cholesterol Awareness Month!! September 17, 2010

Hi Everyone!

Did you know that September is cholesterol awareness month? Not exactly a reason to party, but still interesting to think about. Perhaps it has been a while since you have thought about your cholesterol levels and maybe need to get them checked again? Or maybe you have never gotten them checked? September might just be your month.

It is true, cholesterol levels are not the end-all answer for analyzing your heart health. About half of the myocardial infarctions (MI or heart attack) that happen today happen to people with normal cholesterol levels. There is however, a strong correlation between your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and triglycerides and your risk for an MI. Also, your levels of HDL (good cholesterol) can outweigh all of the other negative results (LDL, triglycerides), so just knowing your levels can be a stress off your back… or heart.

Your cholesterol levels also tell us about the level of inflammation your body has in general. Your body uses cholesterol as a mechanism to protect itself from inflammation – a type of band-aid in the vessels. The bigger question then to ask is, why is your body suffering from inflammation? Perhaps you have a chronic disease, like arthritis or IBS, that is causing this reaction. For some, just addressing these other, seemingly not related, issues can lower your total cholesterol levels.

What can and should you do if your levels are out of the normal range? Conventional medicine reaches for a class of drugs called statins. In naturopathic medicine however, we have a lot more tools. Of course lifestyle is of utmost importance: eating a healthy diet and exercising can make all of the difference in the world. Supplements we may reach for to lower your levels include phytosterols, fish oils, and vitamins (like B3). There are certain homeopathics and botanical medicines that work terrific too. The key is to find out what will work best for YOU.

Breast Cancer month – A time to focus on prevention October 21, 2008

October is breast cancer month – a time to attend activities that focus on the importance of finding a cure. My personal belief is that it would be great to find the cure for breast cancer, but ultimately it is a better goal to help my patients prevent breast cancer in the first place.

Breast cancer is devastating, without a doubt. Some things, like your race or family history, automatically put you at increased risk for breast cancer. I believe however, that even if you do or do not have these increased risk factors, there are many things you can do NOW to try to avoid getting breast cancer yourself:

• Avoid taking birth control pills or other estrogen containing therapies: using hormones for greater than 5 years increases your risk. Being off birth control for 10 years puts your risk back to the level of someone who has never taken them.
• Avoid sugars: Sugar intake increases your insulin levels over time, which has been shown in studies to increase your risk.
• Eat your veggies: Over 200 control studies have shown that eating vegetables has a protective effect. Your goal should be to have half of your plate contain vegetables.
• Daily fiber: Eating ground flax seeds daily helps to remove any excess estrogen and helps to decrease your estrogen levels, therefore is very protective.
• Cod liver oil: This oil contains vitamins A and D, both of which protect against breast cancer. It also decreases inflammation and makes you feel great.
• Limit red meat consumption: A direct correlation has been found with red meat and breast cancer. The greater the amount of red meat you eat per day or servings per week, the greater the increased risk.
• Alcohol: This is also a dose dependent risk factor. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk is for getting breast cancer. In a recent study done, they found a 40-70% increased risk in women who drink 2 alcoholic drinks per day compared to those who drank none.
• Drink organic green tea: Green tea stops each of the 7 steps of cancer formation! Drinking this beverage daily is extremely protective.
• Lose weight with exercising: Women who are obese overall have an increased risk. Those who engage in high physical activity, especially post-menopausal women, have a decreased risk. To lose weight and obtain the protective effects of exercise, it is necessary to exercise 60-90 minutes every day.
• Breast feeding: Breast feeding is protective against breast cancer – the longer you breast feed your child, the more protection you get.

I realize that some of these ideas are easier than others to incorporate into your life. Now is the time however to get on the path to prevention. Then we will never have to worry about finding a cure.

Organic milk July 23, 2008

With the price of living going up every day, I know it is hard to always purchase organic foods. If I could choose one food for you to always buy organic, it would be organic milk. Not only is it more nutritious, organic milk does not have all of the antibiotics, pesticides and hormones that are commonly found in conventional milk.

A recent study done at Newcastle University in the UK found that organic milk is significantly more nutritious than conventional milk, especially if the cows were fed a mostly grass diet. The organic milk was found to have 67% more vitamins and antioxidants, 60% more linoleic acid – a fat shown to decrease tumor size, and more omega 3 fatty acids when compared to non-organic.

Just as important, organic milk should be your first choice at the grocery store because it does not contain either pesticides or bovine growth hormone, both of which have been linked to cancer when consumed on a regular basis. It is also antibiotic free: the continued use of antibiotics in cows is contributing to the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Protect your health and the health of your family. Please choose organic milk.

Sages’ Healing Center Website

The website for my future medical practice is finally live:

http://www.sageshealingcenter.com/

Please sign up for the newsletter and be sure to make an appointment: we will be open in the fall of 2009.

Stinging Nettle: Your Sneeze Stopper! June 10, 2008

Stinging nettle, aka Uritica Dioica, grows along roadsides and in the forests almost throughout the US and Canada. It is best known for its ability to “sting” you with its prickers, causing an uncomfortable urticaria or itchy rash that may last up to 12 hours. Although not a commonly known herb now, nettles has a rich history of medicinal uses and its leaves and roots have been used for everything including bladder issues, allergies and even hair-regrowth. Once boiled, the stinging nettle can also be added to soups and salads, adding a multitude of vitamins and minerals as well as a delicious taste to your meal.

Today the herb is frequently used in the springtime to deal with the most common seasonal condition, allergies. It has been tested to be a potent anti-histamine when taken either in teas or in its whole form in capsules. Taking nettles will help with all of those nasty allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, sniffling and runny nose. And best of all, it won’t make you drowsy. Although the tea literally tastes like you are drinking grass, it may become appealing once you realize the strength of this potent herb. Damon has also been knowns to sprinkle the herb in his cereal, on his eggs, in a smoothie – the possibilities are endless.

As this herb is a mild diuretic, it should not be used if you have congestive heart failure or kidney problems. Also, if you are pregnant, diabetic or have a prostate condition, please consult with a naturopathic physician before taking this herb. Please also be careful if you are harvesting stinging nettles yourself. Gloves are recommended.

Sages’ Favorite Nettle Soup:
In Portland, you can buy already harvested nettles at the co-op and farmer’s markets. Or if you are brave, you can harvest them yourself.

Ingredients:

2 TB vegetable oil or butter
2 TB flour (gluten-free works great)
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Several handfuls of freshly picked and washed young nettles
2 cups milk (cow, soy, rice – it all works)
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil/butter for a few minutes then stir in nettles (don’t worry about removing the stalks) until they are soft. Stir in the flour and gradually add the milk and stock, stirring all the time. Add seasonings. Blend half if you desire a creamier soup. Enjoy!

What is hydrotherapy? May 9, 2008

Have you ever woken up early in the morning and jumped into a cold pool, lake or even shower and had a sense of profound refreshment, like your body has finally been woken up?

Have you ever taken a hot bath at night to help you relax and become more sleepy?

Water can affect our body in many ways. Not only is it the best thing for you to drink, it can also be used externally as a way to boost your immune system, reduce pain and improve your energy and mood. Hydrotherapy, or using water for healing, is one of the oldest techniques used in Naturopathic medicine. Since its creation by the “Father of Hydrotherapy”, Father Priessnitz (1799-1852), people have been using hot and cold water to heal and continue to do so today.

As you can imagine, the benefits of using water for healing are numerous. For one, it is very inexpensive – if you have a shower or bath with both hot and cold water, and some old towels and blankets, you already have most of the supplies you need. Hydrotherapy is also convenient as you can do it yourself, at home. By far the best aspect is that unlike most treatments, you reap the benefits almost immediately and there are no side effects.

Stay tuned on my blog to learn some easy hydrotherapy techniques!

What kind of fish is safe to eat? May 6, 2008

If fish swam in unpolluted waters and ate other healthy, non-polluted fish and sea-life, it would be an ideal food for us to eat. As a lean meat, fish provides us with lots of protein without all of the saturated fat that we get from red meats. It also provides essential fatty acids, such as the omega-3 EPA and DHA type fatty acids, which are great for nerve and blood vessel health and act as an anti-inflammatory agent. Fish is also a significant source of some vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin D, zinc and iron.

The word is out however, that not all fish is safe to eat. This is because some fish store toxic metals, such as mercury, and PCBs in their fat. When we eat these contaminated fish, our bodies then store the mercury or PCBs, which may cause long lasting effects. These effects may be especially significant in infants, children, women of child-bearing age, pregnant women and the elderly as consumption of these toxins could cause irreversible damage.

When choosing a fish to eat at either the grocery store or at a restaurant, please use the following chart to make an educated decision, one that is best for your health and the health of your family.

For a more complete list or to find out if your favorite fish is safe to eat, please visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program website:
http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch.asp

Mercury Levels in Fish (nrdc.org)

HIGH
Bluefish
Grouper
Mackerel (King, Spanish, Gulf)
Marlin
Orange Roughy
Seabass (Chilean*)
Shark*
Swordfish
Tilfish
Tuna (Ahi*, Yellowfin*, Bigeye, Canned Albacore)

MEDIUM
Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Pacific, Atlantic*)
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish*
Perch (freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate*
Snapper*
Tuna (Canned chunk light, Skipjack*)
Sea Trout

LOW
Anchovies
Calamari
Catfish
Clam
Cod (Artic)
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Flounder*
Haddock (Atlantic*)
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon**
Sardine
Scallop*
Sole (Pacific)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)

*Overfished **May Contain PCBs

Frustration Survey April 15, 2008

For my business class I have to do something called a “frustration survey” – a survey to find out what annoys people most about health care. The answers I get from this survey will help me to better understand what my patients are hoping for in their medical care experience.

I went to the mall and did my frustration survey (yes, I was the annoying one with the clipboard – it was awful!) and got some very interesting answers. Now I am asking you, my beloved readers, to do the same survey. Please feel free to hit reply on this post to answer the questions (you can even put in a fake name to do it anonymously) or email your answers directly to me if you wish. I will be posting the results when the survey is complete. Thank you in advance!

1) What frustrates you most about the health care industry?

2) What frustrates you most about going to the doctor?

3) What do you like best about going to the doctor?

4) Have you ever been to an alternative health care practitioner (chiropractor, acupuncturist, naturopath, osteopath, etc). Why or why not?

Garlic – a delicious yet powerful medicine April 6, 2008

Anyone who has ever eaten a raw garlic clove knows the power of this medicine. The stuff within garlic that gives you the stinky breathe is called allicin, its most potent chemical component. Allicin contains a sulfur compound, which may cause you to be unpopular to kiss, but makes it very potent medicine. In fact, it can protect you from getting high blood pressure, diabetes and liver disease. Garlic also reduces inflammation in your body and protects you from infections. Excuse me if I go on and on about this herb, but really I hope you will get the point garlic really is amazing.

Garlic is especially known as an herb for your entire cardiovascular system – your arteries, veins, capillaries and heart. When taken daily, it can reduce the plaque that builds up on your blood vessels, allowing more blood to your hands and feet and reducing your overall blood pressure. It does this by strengthening your blood vessel walls, decreasing your LDL -“bad”- cholesterol, the guy who deposits buildup on your vessels and increasing your HDL –“good”- cholesterol, the guy who takes the buildup back from your vessels to your liver so it can be destroyed. It also decreases your overall triglyceride levels, reducing your overall risk of heart disease.

Garlic is a very powerful immune booster. It is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. Therefore, it can take care of almost any bug or overgrowth you get! It is commonly used for yeast infections but can be used for so much more including any kind of upper respiratory issue (bronchitis, colds, flu, sinus infections, etc) or gastrointestinal issues (ulcers, parasites) and more.

Garlic also protects you from type 2 diabetes or can be a great help for someone already diagnosed with diabetes because it helps reduce sugar in the blood. Less sugar causes less insulin to be released, therefore allowing your cells to better process the sugar that is already there. It should be used under the supervision of a physician if you have “brittle diabetes” or easily become hypoglycemic.
There are a few other people who should be careful with garlic, such as those with acute inflammation, insomnia, dehydration, organ transplants or if you are taking an anticoagulant. It also should not be used by people who have a hot constitution – a red face, sweat easily, feel warm to touch, prone to headaches and anger easily, etc.

To be honest, the best way to take it is to shoot it straight up, raw and in all of its glory, 1-2 cloves/day. However, I know that many people may have issues (such as you want to still have friends) so therefore try use it in your cooking whenever possible, but keep it raw whenever possible. There are also supplements that are available from naturopathic physicians and some health food markets – try to take these only under the supervision of a licensed practitioner.

DAIRYFREE GARLIC PESTO: By Jill Stansbury, ND
Pesto traditionally contains parmesan cheese and is an excellent complementing flavor when desired. In order to make a pesto of medicinal quality the following recipe without dairy products will work. The traditional recipe also uses fresh basil. Wonderful pestos may be made from other fresh herbs including cilantro, mint, lemon thyme, lemon verbana, and arugala.

Peel all of the individual cloves in 3-5 full bulbs of garlic and place in a food processor.
Tear 5 large handfuls of Basil into the food processor.
Cover with olive or flax oil and puree.
Add 1 cup of pine nuts and blend again.
Use as a spread on toast or cracker, on pasta, and to make salad dressings and sauces.
Store in the refrigerator.

GARLIC SOUP FOR COLDS AND FLUS
8 Cups water
2-3 tbl Miso paste (a salty fermented soybean product available in health food stores)
3 carrots, sliced
1 white onion, chopped
2 tbl grated ginger root
1 bunch kale, washed and shredded
All the cloves of 1 bulb of garlic, peeled and crushed
Place the carrots, onion and miso in the water and bring to a low simmer. Continue simmering until onions are translucent and carrots are beginning to get soft. Add the garlic and the kale, reduce heat to the lowest possible setting and keep soup warm for another full hour. Use the soup as the main source of nutrition for a day, eating very sparsely other wise.

What can I do to get better sleep and wake more rested? April 2, 2008

There are many things you can do to get a better night’s rest. Some changes can be done easily, like making your bedroom into a more relaxing environment; others require a little more work. You will find that as you make these changes, you will wake up feeling much more rested and ready to face the day.

The choices you make during the day can affect your sleep at night. To make you sleepier at night, try to create time for at least 30 minutes of exercise during your day. It is important however, not to do your exercise 2 hours before bed as it can be too stimulating and make it difficult to fall asleep.

The food and drink choices you make during the day can also affect your sleep. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages after noontime, or if you think you might be especially sensitive, eliminate caffeinated beverages completely. In general, try to avoid eating 2 hours before bedtime; as you digest your meal, it puts calories (energy) into your bloodstream, leaving you awake. This is especially true for sweets and alcohol.

It is very important that the place you sleep also provides a relaxing atmosphere. This means that it should be completely dark. To accomplish this, you may have hang a blanket over the window, or invest in either black-out curtains to make sure no light gets in at all. Your alarm clock should not shine a light towards you; it is best to cover the numbers so you cannot see the time or the light it reflects. All other light-producing objects (like cellphones) should also be removed from your bedroom.

Your bed should also be your refuge for sleep. That means it should only bed used to sleep (or for sex). Try to avoid reading, watching TV, or doing any other activities in bed. You need your mind to think, “sleep!” as soon as your head hits the pillow. In time, if you only use your bed for sleep, you will find that you will fall asleep much faster.

There are also a few activities you can do in preparation for sleep, such as breathing exercises (breathe in for 4 counts, out for 8), taking a warm bath, or drinking a calming tea. Try to start a routine every night at the same time, which includes your favorite relaxing activities.

And finally, the most important fantastic sleep tip: go to bed every night at the same time and wake up every morning at the same time. You body loves routine; eventually it will become “programmed” to go to sleep at bedtime. If you can only make one of these changes, this is the best one.