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.

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.

Article “Naturopathic Medicine: What can patients expect? March 15, 2008

Here is an article written for the The Journal of Family Practice by a group of well-known doctors in the field. They did an excellent job explaining naturopathic medicine and even give a patient case summary.

Please check it out-

0aanp_naturopathic_med_what_can_patients_expect_dec_05.pdf

Dandelion March 13, 2008

The dandelions are finally coming up here in Portland, Oregon! They have always been one of my favorite flowers, even though I was always told dandelions were only a weed. As a little girl, I remember picking bunches of them and making them into necklaces or tiaras (oh wait, I have still been known to do that from time to time). How little did I know that I was actually playing with a very powerful medicine.

Dandelion, aka taraxicum officinale, is in the category of herbs we call Alteratives. This group of herbs work on many systems of the body in a non-specific way and are often thought about as a “blood cleanser” or for total body tonification. Alteratives, dandelion included, can even be taken in a food-like way. Dandelion leaves can be used in salads or steamed (add balsamic vinegar and garlic- very tasty!). The flowers, although quite bitter, are delicious when battered and fried (can you tell I am from Wisconsin?). The root, after roasting, is often times used as a coffee substitute.

As a medicine, dandelion is effective for many different issues but thought of especially for those of the liver. Both the root and the leaf are used medicinally. The root has inulin, a component that can help balance blood sugar and tonify the liver when it is being sluggish. The leaf has lots of minerals and can be used a diuretic. Naturopathic physicians and herbalists alike use taraxacum in many tinctures and teas because if helps you to better excrete toxins, cleansing your entire body – the perfect herb for a spring cleanse. It is also used commonly used for hypertension, PMS, weak digestion, constipation and acne. Or you can just eat the flowers because they are pretty and make you happy.

Welcome to my world of Naturopathic Medicine! March 6, 2008

Hello Everyone! Welcome.

I am a student of naturopathic medicine, ready to become a doctor in a little more than one year. I attend the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR. Currently as a third year student, I am taking classes on gastroenterology, nutrition, minor surgery, homeopathy and much more. I also see patients in an observatory role at two different clinics around the city. I am overwhelmed and tired, but having the time of my life.

As I am growing into the role of naturopathic physician, I want to become extremely comfortable talking and writing about my medicine. It is also very important to me to get the word out about how amazing this medicine really is. Therefore I encourage you, my loyal readers, to ask me questions, share your comments and experiences, and tell others about my site.