Swanz Naturopathy

The Context of Healthy Eating - In memory of Kirsten Swanz

2011-05-17T14:40:00.003-04:00

On March 30^th, 2010, my sister Kirsten passed surround by loved ones. She was 28 years old. Kirsten’s memory is vivid with me now having just crossed the 1 year anniversary of her passing and her liberation from the prison that was her physical existence during the last 3 years of her life. With the emotions so raw, I am reminded how her mental suffering stretched back so much further.

My sister died from complications from diabetes and an eating disorder. Her body and her soul were literally starving for nourishment. Looking at my sister, the deprivation was obvious. She was young, her mind was sharp, but her body had succumbed to the ravages of aging well before her time. Her kidneys had stopped functioning and dialysis was an every other day occurrence. She battled high blood pressure and Kirsten’s vision was qualified as legally blind. She had two toe amputations and her bones would fracture under the slightest stress. Anyone looking at my sister knew her health was degenerating. My sister was in the minority. For the majority of our population we don’t see the decline until the health situation becomes dire. As we look around today the disordered eating behaviors aren’t so obvious. Rest assured it is there.

I share my sister’s story to honor her memory and hopefully inspire others to avoid a similar journey. The issues that burden our culture regarding food, nutrition, and health are immense. There is no magic pill that will suddenly resolve this dilemma. As a society, we are over-fed, over-supplemented, over-medicated, and well under-nourished. The nutritional starvation we experience isn’t simply a description of the void found in the nutrient content of industrially grown and processed food. In fact I contend that it is equally the result of the emotional, or lack thereof, connection we have with our food and the people we eat meals with. The beauty of this problem is that it doesn’t require money to resolve. It simply necessitates a shift in the way we think about our food.

Healthy eating isn’t all about organic food. The term organic has become a buzz word exploited by industry to advance the sales of more of the same. Just because it is “organic” is no guarantee that it will support healing and sustenance. And in addition to the words describing a food, the context in which we consume it is crucially important. An all organic meal eaten while driving 60 miles an hour down the highway rushing from one appointment to the next while stressing out about how overwhelmed we are can’t possibly nourish our body the way food is suppose to. Conversely, a non-organic, non-local meal prepared with mindfulness and intent, consumed with those dearest to our hearts, and reflected on as a blessing to our body and soul will give us exactly the nourishment we need.

I am not saying the quality of our food doesn't matter… it absolutely does. The diseases of the past, those things that killed the most people even just 75 years ago were infectious diseases. The times have changed and people are still dying. Today though, entire cultures are dying from lifestyle diseases – cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. So the food does matter and we must realize the context from which we consume our food is a simple area that deserves serious attention.

Food has the potential to be the most powerful medicine we have. Greater than any drug now and any we may ever find. The context, the manner and means with which we consume our meals defines our relationship to the food. Food itself isn’t good or bad, organic or not. The benefit or detriment to our health from food is based primarily on the quantity, frequency, and context from which we consume it, our relationship with it. We must stop ascribing human qualities like good or bad to the food itself. It is just food.

Relationships on the other hand can be good or bad and I am sure most of us have experienced examples of both. Relationships of all sorts provide the opportunity for personal growth and betterment. Relationships are built on the foundation of the behaviors and the habits we as individuals bring to them. These behaviors and habits can be observed, understood, and replicated by those we hold most dear. Health is contagious. Build a solid foundation for yourself and your family by slowing down and eating together. Focus and cultivate a healthy, mindful relationship with food and eating. This will carry over to every meal we consume; with every person we break bread. This is the space from where true nourishment and genuine health will come. It will help propel us all into our most healthy future. It is a simple step with profound effects that we can all start embracing today.

Spring Time Allergies in Kentucky

2011-05-09T07:52:00.001-04:00

What are the first thoughts that come to mind when imaging the beckoning of springtime in the Ohio River valley? I am sure many immediately want to talk college basketball and the madness that is March and the NCAA tournament. Others will drift to the Kentucky Derby and all the related festivities leading up to the most exciting 2 minutes in sports. Some may be eager to simply get outside the house and explore the beautiful scenery that is Kentuckiana (Indiucky from my side of the bridge). The burgeoning spring is many things to different people, regardless of your passions it can inspire and motivate us all to embrace this wonderful time of year.

Growing up in this region, the arrival of springtime has also always suggested the arrival of seasonal allergies that are unmatched in other areas of the country. Hay fever (not necessarily related to hay and seldom associated with a fever) can be incapacitating and the number of individuals affected in the spring is staggering. Allergic rhinitis – inflammation of the nose and/or sinuses – is accompanied by sneezing, nasal mucus discharge, nasal congestion, nasal itching, and watery, itchy eyes, and affects countless individuals. The increased mucus creates an environment that is an ideal place for bacteria to grow and lead to sinus infections and sinus pressure. This process is a hypersensitive reaction to the increased pollen count in our environment as the new grasses, trees, and weeds begin to grow.

It may seem as if we are helpless against this increased pollen count since when we walk outside we are exposed. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to help minimize our overall inflammatory burden which will subsequently decrease the severity of our inflammatory response to the pollens. The at home solutions we will talk about today include monitoring the foods we eat, increasing omega 3 consumption, as well as washing out our sinuses.

The first way to address allergies of all types is to examine what we consume. What we put into our body on a daily basis has a lasting effect on how we feel each and every day. Seasonal allergies are no exception to the rule. In order to address allergies with diet modification, it is vital to explore the individual’s sensitivity to particular foods. Often we consume foods that we are sensitive to without noticing any direct reaction from the offending food. The food sensitivities we are concerned with will not cause our nose to drip or our eyes to itch. It is not the type of allergic food reaction that requires an EpiPen and a quick trip to the emergency room. Instead, it is a low-level sensitivity that cumulatively contributes to our overall inflammatory burden and hence produces a hypersensitive response when we are exposed to something non-threatening like plant pollens. In my experience, food sensitivity is a completely unique response. I have seen it repeatedly in my office that even within families there is a totally independent reaction to particular foods. Eliminating a particular food for one person will not necessarily work for another.

It should be noted that a diet that is high in omega 6 fatty acids and deficient in omega 3 fatty acids increases systemic inflammation. Both essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) must be acquired through our diet. The standard American diet (SAD) is extremely high in omega 6 fatty acids and extremely low in the omega 3 fatty acids. Both essential fatty acids are crucial for healthy inflammatory pathways in the body. When the omega 6 pathway is activated, the body experiences a more exaggerated inflammatory response. The omega 3 pathway is activated it produces a less inflammatory response. When the body has a healthy ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids, the resulting inflammatory response is likely to be appropriate to the offending agent. When the body has an excess of omega 6 fatty acids, it is more often the case that there will be an extreme inflammatory response to an offending agent, regardless of the severity of the particular antigen. This is a simplified description of the phenomenon happening at the cellular level in the majority of Americans, children included, on a daily basis. It is important to strive to bring our body back into balance and reestablish a healthy ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. I generally recommend that patients supplement with 500 to 1000 mg of EPA from a high-quality pharmaceutical grade fish oil. My favorite product is MorEPA by Minami. You can also increase your omega 3 levels by eating grass fed meats and avoiding any grain fed products.

In addition to avoiding food sensitivities and increasing omega 3 consumption, it is also important to consume as many fresh, local vegetables and fruits as possible. This local produce is grown in the same environment where we live. It thrives with exposure to the same air and water pollutants that we must deal with in the spring. The natural defenses and bountiful phyto-nutrients offer us the same protection that they provide for the growing plants. These nutrients and bio-flavenoids have natural anti-inflammatory properties and the volume of benefits from a diet high in variety and colorful vegetable and fruit consumption is too vast to include in this article.

One other simple method for reducing allergic symptoms is to utilize a neti pot saline wash throughout the spring to wash the pollens directly from the nasal passage. A neti pot is a device used for flushing out excess mucus, pollen, bacteria, and foreign agents from the nose and sinuses. This technique is becoming more and more popular, even within the conventional medical system. Neti pots are available for purchase at many drug and retail stores. A neti pot is a safe, simple, and effective tool for supporting healthy sinuses.

The techniques described above are painless and inexpensive, and the benefits can be enormous. By incorporating these suggestions into your healthy daily routine you will be more able to enjoy time planting a garden, watching the horses run, or doing any other activities you enjoy in the springtime.

Poultices - part 2

2011-04-11T15:09:00.003-04:00

A poultice is a topical application to the body to create a specific healing response. It is a simple technique that can be incredibly effective when the proper substances are applied in the appropriate manner. It is an economical approach that often utilizes foods/medicines that are already in the kitchen. Poultices involve few other materials and can be used in a pinch alone or in conjunction with conventional or alternative treatments.

The procedure for preparing a poultice is rather simple and relatively the same regardless of the substance applied:
Grate, chop, dice, muddle, etc. the substance and wrap it in a cheese cloth. If the substance is a grain or some other dry material, it may need to be combined with water to create a paste. Position the cheese cloth directly over the area for treatment and cover with a piece of plastic wrap and then a towel or other article of clothing to hold the application in place. The duration of treatment is typically 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the application immediately if there is any stinging, burning, etc. Depending on the applied substance, there may be varying degrees of redness during and following a treatment.

Following is a list of the frequently recommended poultices.

Honey Poultice – Applied directly to the skin, honey is good for burns and cuts, antiseptic, and it is anti-inflammatory. Honey helps prevent bacteria from growing while sealing off the damaged tissue from the air, reduces pain, and rehydrates the tissue.

Mustard Poultice – Use powdered mustard and mix with water to make a paste. Use a wooden spoon to mix and spread the paste. Do Not Apply Directly to the Skin. Be sure to wrap the paste in a cheese cloth. Do not leave on the skin longer than 10 to 15 minutes. Do not use a mustard poultice on sensitive or broken skin. A mustard poultice is good for arthritic joints and any condition that requires increased circulation. It can be applied to the chest to help relieve congestion, aid asthma, relieve coughs, and assist in getting rid of colds and flu. It can also be used alternating on the chest and back for chest/lung conditions. If left on too long a mustard poultice can cause blistering on the skin. Parents should absolutely not leave a mustard poultice on an unattended child.

Onion Poultice – Sautee chopped onion in olive oil until soft and translucent. Place the onion in a cheese cloth. Onion is high in sulfur and great for drawing out impurities and decreasing inflammation. Onion poultices are excellent for ear infections, boils, and sores that have difficulty hearing.

Potato Poultice – Grate raw potato and mix with boiling water. Place the soft, translucent potato in a cheese cloth. Potato poultices are soothing and cooling, they are ideal for inflammation such as experienced in arthritis.

Poultices are simple, cost effective, procedures for supporting the body’s healing response. When utilized with other immune supports and healing techniques, poultices can speed up recovery time, decrease discomfort and pain, and encourage rest while healing. Consider using a poultice the next time you need a little extra healing boost.

Poultices Part 1 - Home Healing from the Kitchen

2011-03-21T15:44:00.002-04:00

The procedure for preparing a poultice is rather simple and relatively the same regardless of the substance applied:

Grate, chop, dice, muddle, etc. the substance and wrap it in a cheese cloth. If the substance is a grain or some other dry material, it may need to be combined with water to create a paste. Position the cheese cloth directly over the area for treatment and cover with a piece of plastic wrap and then a towel or other article of clothing to hold the application in place. The duration of treatment is typically 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the application immediately if there is any stinging, burning, etc. Depending on the applied substance, there may be varying degrees of redness during and following a treatment.

Following is a list of the frequently recommended poultices.

Bran Poultice – Make a paste with hot water and bran, apply as hot as can be tolerated. Used for inflammation, strains, sprains, and bruises.

Cabbage Poultice – Use raw or cooked cabbage. A cabbage poultice has a warming, detoxifying, and stimulating effect. Apply over varicose veins, shingles, eczema, gout, and rheumatism. A cabbage poultice can also be applied to the lower abdomen to promote pelvic circulation and dissolve small fibroids and cysts in pelvic cavity. It also can be used over the liver to support detoxification.

Carrot Poultice – Grate the carrot and place in a cheese cloth. Carrot poultices are ideal for sore throats and swollen glands. Place the poultice directly over the throat and wrap with a scarf (orange preferably).

Dandelion Poultice – Use dandelion root, leaves and flowers. A dandelion poultice is fantastic for skin disorders such as acne, eczema, itchy and dry skin, psoriasis, and rashes.

Healthy Habits

2011-03-05T08:56:00.002-05:00

Habits are incredibly powerful. Without even recognizing it, there is an unconscious influence exerted on our daily activities and general actions. Habits are the behaviors that have become latent to our conscious thought process. We are simply going through the motions. I no longer have to remind myself to buckle my seatbelt when I get in a car. My mind and body have been habitually programmed to repeat the same action over and over again every time I sit in an automobile. This is a beneficial habit to have, one that has the potential to save my life in an auto accident. We develop habits because there are things that are worth repeating without expending the energy and concentration that new tasks require. It is a manner of creating efficiency and allowing our mind and body to address new tasks without distraction. Habits are worth having because they simplify the process of living our daily life. But inadvertently they may also be decreasing the quality and longevity of that life if we are repeatedly and mindlessly performing behaviors that collectively will be detrimental to our health and wellbeing. Fortunately we can break bad habits and initiate new behaviors that over time will become habits themselves, supporting us on our journey to health. So where do we start?

We start with breakfast! Our mornings are full of habits. We hit the alarm button and kick it into autopilot to get ourselves and the family out the door. We tend to trade our long-term wellbeing for convenience with our morning routine. Making changes here are difficult, especially in the beginning. But with consistency, our changes transform into new habits and a new morning ritual that benefits ourselves and our family. After constant application it is no longer a burden to wake 30 minutes earlier, it is simply what we do on autopilot every day. An extra 30 minutes in the morning is likely all you need to tackle the biggest challenge for the majority of the population in the morning… actually eating breakfast. Preferably this is done within the first hour of climbing out of bed while still at home. Even if you don’t typically feel hungry when you wake up, it is important to consume a protein focused meal to jumpstart the body’s metabolism for the rest of your day. Eggs are ideal. If you are worried about the time to prepare them, simply hard boil a dozen on the weekend. Protein provides a more lasting energy throughout the morning and has been shown to support weight loss when compared with a similarly portioned and caloric breakfast comprised of grains and cereals. Individuals that eat breakfast have been shown to regularly consume fewer calories throughout the rest of the day. This may seem too simplistic to actually provide significant changes, but that is the beauty of healthy habits; over time the synergy of the routine creates an improvement that exceeds the results of the actions from any one day.

Sandwiching the “rest of our day” in between a healthy morning and a healthy evening is an effective way to improve our overall wellbeing and build momentum towards making other improvements and habits that normally require more effort simply because the middle parts of our day tend to have less routine and consistency. Things just always come up at work or at home that will tend to interfere with our best intentions. But if we can start the change with a focus on the morning and on the evening, the middle portions inevitably fall more in line with the standards we are creating for ourselves around the “rest of the day”.

A healthy habit routine at night should primarily focus on preparing for sleep. Begin by turning off the TV or computer at least an hour and a half before your desired bed time. Television, the news, the internet, etc. are not relaxing and do not help us decompress before bed. This is an ideal time to connect with family and friends through conversation, board games, or maybe a shared yoga practice. It is also an excellent time to read a chapter from whatever book you are interested in, or maybe write down your objectives to accomplish for the next day. Use this time to be productive and present with yourself or your family. Parents will be amazed at the how quickly this practice of unplugging at night improves the children’s bedtime routine. Even though the children may fight this new routine more at first, the changes are ultimately harder on the parents. Breaking habits is more difficult the longer we have been practicing them. Don’t sell yourself short and plug back in after the kids have gone to bed. Commit to this changed behavior for at least a month and see how much better you feel. If you are still suffering from sleep issues, it would be worth the effort to look into natural sleep supports that can be used short term to help reset the body’s natural circadian rhythms. Prescription sleep aids do not help the body recalibrate and instead create a cycle of dependency and continued poor sleep. I know the stories are amusing, “so and so was raking leaves in their underwear at 3:30 in the morning”. The reason this happens is the most commonly used medications are hypnotics, not sedatives. They create an unconscious individual with an active mind. This is a bad combination in general and a real detriment when we should be resting at night.

It is still early in 2011 and we have this entire year ahead of us to begin creating healthy habits that will ultimately improve the health of ourselves and our families. What are you waiting for? Start today.

Weight Loss and Dieting for 2011

2011-02-02T14:15:00.001-05:00

Welcome to 2011 and another opportunity to embrace dieting and weight loss in the New Year. Losing weight is probably the number one New Year’s resolution. More than any other vow, losing weight is embraced with passion and vigor; but often just as quickly the excitement fades and the frustration of dieting ups and downs becomes a reality once again. Soon the old eating habits have returned and things are right back where they first started.

Will 2011 be a different experience? Is this the year when you finally lose some extra weight and keep it off? More importantly, is this the year when you make those eating and lifestyle changes permanent and take yourself on the road to a more healthy you? I believe it can be that year and I will share those things that in my experience most often are the obstacles to lasting weight loss as well as those areas that are often neglected by the common weight loss approaches.

Most of the diets people follow create weight loss through one of two approaches or a combination of both. The first is to simply decrease your calorie consumption over time to lose weight. Often this is done by limiting portion sizes and/or replacing a meal or two a day with a low-calorie nutritional bar or shake. The other common diet plans shift the body into a ketogenic “fat-burning” state by limiting the consumption of carbohydrates below a physiological threshold so that the preferred source for energy moves from foods eaten during the day to the body’s own stores of energy… or fat.

In general most of the diets today utilizing either approach are encouraging more balance and diversity in the food choices that participants eat. That is a good thing and I think these approaches work. In fact, I see it over and over again in my office. Folks come in and they have lost weight in the past on various plans, but they have easily put the weight right back on. So what is wrong with these approaches and how come the results don’t last?

There is not anything wrong with a low calorie approach to losing weight. The problem arises when the lower calorie count is the result of meal replacement by bars or shakes. Though this may be an effective way to curtail calories during the diet, too often the number of calories consumed jumps right back up when eating returns to the pre-diet patterns. Meal replacement bars and shakes do not support long term diet goals because it is not sensible to continue eating that way indefinitely. Instead we should focus on cooking and eating “real food”. Being aware of the portions we consume is also recommended practice for our daily eating. Unfortunately, there is an accepted disregard and unconsciousness with which we eat today; often unaware of the colossal portions we mindlessly shovel into our mouths. Decreasing portion sizes is a good thing. Individuals have to become versed in fixing real foods and eating correct portions on a daily basis if health is to be obtained. A successful diet should impart practices that carry over to daily eating after the weight loss goals are met.

A ketogenic, or low carb/high protein diet, approach to weight loss has become increasingly popular during the past two decades. Participants are typically drawn to this dietary program because it generally allows an unlimited consumption of approved foods – mostly high protein meats and fats. The body naturally shifts into a ketogenic, fat-burning state, and weight loss soon follows. This dietary technique also keeps blood sugar and insulin levels stable during the day. An added benefit of this approach that is quite often not discussed is the elimination of the more common food sensitivities. Here are the foods that I most often see individuals being reactive to: wheat, corn, soy, and dairy. The structure and requirements of the ketogenic diet eliminates these common foods. Wheat, corn, soy, and dairy are not food allergies in the more traditional sense. Instead the problem they present is more accurately described as a low-level sensitivity where frequent consumption increases systemic inflammation, decreases and stagnates digestive functioning, and leads to chronic water retention and weight gain over time. The actual food sensitivities vary from person to person, but most individuals that remove food sensitivities from their diet will lose weight, regardless of any other dietary changes. If someone loses weight following a ketogenic diet and secondarily unknowingly reaps the benefits from the elimination of food sensitivities, the weight will come right back on when they begin consuming the sensitive foods again. A lasting approach to weight loss should help participants discover their individual food sensitivities so that they can avoid them long term, maintain their ideal weight, and greatly improve their overall health.

There really isn’t a magic bullet or quick fix weight loss solution. The keys to successful long term weight loss are very simple in theory, just not necessarily easy to implement. The first step is to consume real foods in reasonable portion sizes, with a balance of proteins and carbohydrates at each meal and/or snack to keep blood sugars and insulin levels stable throughout the day. The next step is to avoid processed junk and convenience foods. Finally, in order to keep unwanted weight off, discover and avoid your individual food sensitivities. By following these important lifestyle practices 2011 will be the year you start down the road to a happy, healthy you.

Winter Immune Supports

2011-01-12T10:39:00.001-05:00

It’s that time of the year again. The time of the year when children’s noses start running and parent’s stomachs start aching. While it may seem like the cold air brings on the various winter ailments, there is actually a known seasonal correlation with illness and immune function. We will look at how common issues such as vitamin D deficiency, increased stress, poor dietary choices, and decreased glutathione production can affect our susceptibility to illness during the winter months.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in our society. It seems like every week there is a new study correlating vitamin D deficiency with a different chronic or acute illness. This tendency towards deficiency becomes even more prevalent in the winter when the daytime sun is lower in the horizon and hence the rays that support vitamin D conversion in the skin are diffused on the approach through the atmosphere. This decrease in our vitamin D levels in the winter has been proposed as a causative factor for the seasonal association of RSV, Cold and Flu, and other winter illnesses. I personally supplement with 2000 to 4000 IUs of vitamin D3 during the winter and I make sure my daughters get 1000 IUs every day.

In addition to Vitamin D, there is another key nutrient that can play a pivotal roll in our winter immune function. That nutrient is N acetyl cysteine, an amino acid precursor to glutathione. Glutathione is vital for our health due to its ability to decrease oxidative damage and to neutralize free radicals. The formation of glutathione happens primarily in the liver and glutathione is a key component of our body’s detoxification process. In addition glutathione is important for our body’s immune response and cellular repair mechanisms. Glutathione is a vital component in some capacity for nearly every system in the body and when we are missing the nutritional precursors, our overall functioning decreases and susceptibility to illness increases.

Unfortunately most individuals, and doctors for that matter, are completely unaware that acetaminophen affects the production of glutathione in the liver. So taking any product with acetaminophen to address the pain and/or fever that often accompanies an illness will actually decrease our body’s own capacity to fight it. In cases where something is absolutely required for pain or fever, I recommend ibuprofen or naproxen for my family. But before that is even necessary, one can start taking N acetyl cysteine to increase glutathione production. N acetyl cysteine also has a unique action helping to liquefy mucus, so it is an ideal support for sinus infections and those nagging coughs where there is thick mucus stuck in the chest that just won’t come up.

Stress and increased cortisol levels are another concern that will suppress the body’s immune function. In general the hustle and bustle of the holidays creates stress in our lives which then increases our cortisol levels. We must be proactive in creating stress relief and healing opportunities for ourselves. Take time to find space for meditation, relaxation, and prayer during the winter months. At least once a day decompress and focus on the many things you have to be grateful for during the seasons. A simple and effective exercise is to take a deep inhalation through the nose, hold for a few seconds and release back through the nose. Wait a few seconds and then repeat. This cyclical deep breathing practice will help shift the body from a stress response into a more relaxed and healing state.

The dietary choices we make during the holidays are often times a great departure from our normal food consumptions. These drastic changes can lead to varying degrees of digestive disturbances that can create GI flora imbalances and an immune system that is susceptible to infection. Because our gut functions as a first line of defense against foreign pathogens, multiple studies have shown an increase in immune function from probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that help to rebalance the bacteria in our digestive tract. Taking a broad spectrum probiotic supplement at the first signs of a GI disturbance can help support the digestive process and avoid the potential decrease in immune function from a GI flora imbalance.

I will also often suggest some of the standard herbal immune stimulants when individuals aren’t feeling well or have recently been exposed to someone known to be suffering with a cold or flu. These herbs are best to be used for short periods of time to help rev up our immune response in acute situations. They should not be used throughout the winter due to their immune stimulatory effect. If we are constantly sending a message that our body should be fighting an infection even when we are not sick, then when we do get sick it will be much more difficult to mount an adequate immune response. The herbs I typically will recommend include: Echinacea, Goldenseal, Garlic, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Osha root, Shitake and Maitake mushrooms, Elderberry, and Astragalus.

Finally I want to share an incredibly easy and effective way to support our body’s healing abilities through the application of water, known as hydrotherapy. This is an approach I share regularly with patients. This at home immune support technique is called “Wet Socks” and should be considered at the first sign of any illness. The instructions are listed below. Peace and health to everyone this holiday season.

WET SOCK TREATMENT

The wet sock treatment is best if repeated for three nights in a row, or as instructed by your physician. It can also be used as a prevention technique at the first signs of impending illness.

Indications: Sore throat or any inflammation or infection of the throat, neck pain, ear infections, headaches, migraines, nasal congestion, upper respiratory infections, coughs, bronchitis, and sinus infections. Through the increased circulation in the lower extremities this technique can also support healing of injuries, sprains, strains, and muscle soreness in the legs.

Materials:

1 pair white cotton socks

1 pair thick wool socks or thick polar fleece socks

Towel

Warm bath or warm foot bath

Procedure:

1. Take a pair of cotton socks and soak them completely with cold water. Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip.

2. Warm your feet first. This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective with cold feet. Warming can be accomplished by soaking your feet in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes or taking a warm bath for 5-10 minutes. If you feet are naturally warm, you do not need to soak or heat externally.

3. If wet, dry off feet and body with a towel.

4. Place cold, damp wet socks on feet. Cover with thick wool socks. Go directly to bed. Avoid getting chilled.

5. Keep the socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be completely dry in the morning.

Effects of the Wet Sock Treatment: This treatment acts to reflexively increase the circulation through the legs and decrease the congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head, and throat. It has a sedating action and many patients report that they sleep much better during the treatment. This treatment is also effective for pain relief and increases the healing response during acute infections.

"Let Food Be Thy Medicine"

2010-12-27T15:44:00.001-05:00

Hippocrates is considered the father of modern medicine. One of his most famous quotes is “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food”. These words are often utilized for the eloquence with which they express the importance of our daily food choices. The relevance this phrase has is stronger than ever. Nutrition is an underlying theme for just about every health concern we may experience today. To address the underlying causes, we must consider the influence our diet has on our wellbeing. Today we will begin this journey by exploring blood sugar imbalances and the misconceptions that still prevail in our society regarding fats in foods.

When considering our food choices and the impact on our health, the first step relevant for today’s health concerns is to address blood sugar imbalances. Blood sugar imbalances are rampant in our culture. We tend to overly consume highly processed foods and grains, and simple sugars which contribute to an immediate jump in blood sugar levels due to their high glycemic index. The body responds by pumping out insulin from our pancreas to lower the level of sugar in our blood. Elevated blood sugars always cause an elevation in insulin levels. Insulin in our body conveys two primary messages. The first is that the blood sugar should be stored for later use in the form of fat depositions. Let me repeat this first point, elevated blood sugars and hence elevated insulin levels signal our body to store foods consumed as fat. The second is that insulin increases the levels of systemic inflammation in our body.

Day in and day out after the insulin assault on the unnecessarily high blood sugars, the blood sugar levels crash. This hypoglycemic state creates a sympathetic, or stress, response from the body. The adrenal glands release cortisol to help mobilize sugar from stores in the body. At this point the individual typically feels jittery, irritable, and quickly reaches for that sugary snack to get through to the next meal. This pattern causes the sugars to jump up again, insulin is released, and the entire process repeats itself. For most people eating the standard American diet (SAD) this happens every single day. Eventually the pancreas fatigues and can no longer release enough insulin to control the blood sugars and the patient is diagnosed as a diabetic. Simultaneously, the adrenals are exhausted and can no longer function in their full capacity. Our body’s hormone systems are affected by this constant stress and their functions are interrelated. Years of poor dietary choices often require an extensive amount of intervention to restore proper body function and balance.

Fats generally confound us more than any other aspect of nutrition. My 9 year old daughter helped me understand why when she said, “Dad, it’s a homonym. You know, a word that sounds the same but has different meanings.” She couldn’t be more correct. We use the word “fat” to describe lipids in foods and when referencing individuals that are overweight. Even though the low-fat dietary craze of the 80’s would have us believe that they are directly related, they most certainly are not. But the mis-information remains and people still worry that fats in foods will lead to becoming an overweight individual. The result for our lifestyle from this distorted view is that fats have been consistently removed from foods and replaced with sugars. The end product now has a higher glycemic index than the original food and the increased insulin levels to control the elevated blood sugar causes the body to store the food as fat. As we have pulled fat from foods, individuals have become more overweight and the incidence of diabetes and heart disease has continued to climb; yet we somehow continue to believe that fats in foods are detrimental to our health. They aren’t, with one exception.

Trans-fats, or hydrogenated oils, are pointless from a dietary standpoint. There is no need for us to consume them. Processed food manufactures continue to use them because they add stability and shelf life to their end products. They do this at the expense of our health. Trans-fat consumption is related to poor cholesterol levels and increased inflammation in the body, among other things. The only way to be certain that trans-fats are not in our food products is to read the full label. The imprudent business that continues to create these products have created a marketing ploy that will allow them to write largely on the front of a package that it contains “no trans-fats… per serving” as long as there is less that 0.5 grams of trans-fats per serving. The product itself certainly still has trans-fats in it, and so will we if we don’t read the ingredient list searching for the key words: hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or fully hydrogenated.

In general, foods are neither good nor bad for us. As we begin to change our relationship with foods and nutrition, it is vital to remember that the benefit or detriment to our health is primarily from the quantity and frequency with which we consume any particular food, not a quality inherent to the food itself. For example, we could consume too much water and actually die from an electrolyte imbalance. Our objective should be to strive for variation in our food regimen, focusing mostly on veggies and fruits coupled with protein sources to balance blood sugars. When ever possible and affordable, we should buy local and organic. By reducing our consumption of processed, high glycemic foods and avoiding trans-fats we will improve our daily energy with balanced blood sugars, decrease our systemic inflammation, and better help protect ourselves from the chronic lifestyle diseases that plague our culture.

7 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

2010-11-28T19:50:00.000-05:00

Naturopathic or Holistic Medicine is based on 7 core principles that together comprise the philosophical foundation at the heart of the treatment modalities. In fact, the reasons we make choices with Naturopathic treatments is more important than the different treatments themselves. It isn’t what we give, but why we give it, that defines Naturopathic Medicine.

Grasping the significance of these 7 principles will be vital to our journey as we describe in future segments the potential of holistic healing.

Support the healing power of nature – The body has an innate wisdom and ability to heal. Too often conventional medical approaches strive to work against this process utilizing pharmaceuticals that suppress the body’s own healing attempts. A holistic approach to healing considers the symptoms of an illness as an indicator of the direction the body is striving to move; and then a specifically chosen modality is utilized to support that healing direction.

Treat the cause – The goal with holistic medicine is always to get to the root cause of the problem. By discovering and addressing the underlying problem, the individual is able to experience healing on the deepest and most lasting level.

Do no harm – At the heart of holistic healing is the principle of Do No Harm. This is a commitment to avoid any potentially detrimental treatment options and to support healing with the most gentle and effective means possible.

Doctor as teacher – When individuals seek to pursue a more healthy and holistic lifestyle, it is imperative that they create a nurturing support system to encourage their growth through the process. The holistic doctor is just one of these important relationships, poised to provide information, alternatives, and support while on this journey.

Treat the whole patient – Illness is not confined to physical complaints. The mental and emotional aspect of patient health is vitally important to healing. It is an unfair approach to disregard the concerns that are not directly related to the patient’s chief complaint or diagnosis. This limited perspective restricts the degree to which healing can actually occur. When the whole person is considered, healing can be profound and lasting.

Always support prevention – As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This statement can not be truer than it is during our time today. The diseases that have become pandemic to our Western society are primarily the results of our poor lifestyle choices. The solution to dealing with the continual rise of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes is to change the behaviors that have supported this propagation. A focus on prevention encourages the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices that can reverse and/or hinder the development of these chronic diseases in the future.

The principles of Naturopathic Medicine are very simple in theory, but the application of these collectively towards every patient is a difficult task to achieve. We are an impulsive and result driven society that will often forgo the ideal path in lieu of a quick fix and short lived solution. When it comes to our health the “easy way out” will merely trade a symptom today for a more chronic condition down the road. As we embark on this journey together, may we have the patience and the foresight to recognize our own healing potential and the courage to embrace the challenges that this new path my pose.

Women's Health Gift

2010-10-24T20:24:00.001-04:00

This past week I attended a Women’s Winter Welcome event in Lexington. There were multiple booths with all kinds of gift ideas and products directed towards women. It appeared there were between 300 and 500 women in attendance.

After an hour of exploring the booths, the women were treated to a winter fashion show with local models wearing the looks of the season.

Following the fashion show, there was a panel of 7 local doctors to discuss and answer questions related to women’s cancers including the treatments and surgery options. It was a diverse panel within the conventional medical model; there were a couple of different surgeons, oncologists, and even a radiologist that specialized only in reading breast imaging.

As I sat in the back of the room and listened to the conversation, there were two particular areas of the discussion that I found troublesome:

First, the issue of family genetics was examined and the correlation with cancer development. One oncologist suggested that women get a picture of their family history stretching back 3 generations, looking for any specific women’s cancers. He didn’t mention epigenetics at all… the idea that our lifestyle choices has an impact on our genetic predispositions and actually determines which genes are turned on and turned off. Research has confirmed this concept on multiple levels. I have heard it suggested that the actual incidence of genetically predetermined cancers is around 15 percent. This means that the other 85% of cancers are related and determined by our lifestyle choices. This is the kind of information that I find empowering. It allows us this influence in our own life and health. There is no need to sit back and feel that we are at the mercy of our predetermined genetic make up. I wish the panel would have shared this information with the women in the crowd, instead of simply delivering a message that “if you have a family history of cancer, you’re in trouble.”

The second thing that was slightly upsetting to me was when the radiologist used the term “prevention” to describe mammograms and pap smears. These diagnostic tools are not prevention techniques at all. They are screening methods for discovering cancers. They do not do anything to prohibit cancer growth… and possibly in the case of mammograms started at an early age they may actually increase the breast cancer incidence over time due to the repeated exposure of the breast tissue to radiation. This would have been an ideal opportunity to discuss the actual prevention steps women can take to support a healthy and long cancer free life. If you are a smoker, stop smoking. Loose excess weight. Practice stress management. Avoid exposure to neuro-endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food, personal care products, and daily life. Eat more veggies and fruit every single day. Avoid processed, high glycemic foods to balance blood sugars and insulin levels.

Cancer is a scary condition, but having knowledge and an understanding that we actually have an influence over our risks of developing this disease is a gift. In fact, it may have been the best Holiday gift these women didn’t get.

Do It Yourself Health

2010-08-10T09:01:00.001-04:00

I am a big fan of the “Do It Yourself” and “Home and Garden” networks. These stations constantly air shows that provide homeowners the knowledge and courage to make lasting improvements to their home and yards. By simplifying the steps and providing detailed information about the process, these shows invite reluctant individuals into an uncharted territory and guide them through the terrain. The individual is still required to complete the task, the hard work has to be done at home; but the confidence from having a detailed plan, available resources, and a guide form the valuable base that is the successful starting point for any project.

The pursuit of health is always a “do it yourself” project. It has become shockingly obvious that individuals can no longer just walk into a doctor’s office and expect in 15 minutes to have their health concerns addressed and fixed. Health requires a proactive approach and the belief that the individual can direct their own healing with the support of a holistic medical team and the most up to date information.

Realizing that shift from the passive observer simply watching on the couch, to the active creator manifesting the vision for health and wellness is a beautiful phenomenon. It may not happen suddenly, but instead be the collaborative result of glimpses of health, gleaned initially through personal research – online, through books, from friends, from attending a health talk around town, shopping at the local health food store, etc. Any of these can prove to be the initial catalyst that sparks a more profound change in health. These opportunities are the “Do It Yourself” health shows all around you. If your health, if your life needs improvement, turn these channels on and let the information begin to flow. When the time is right and you are ready to invest in your health, the pieces will fall together. The more preparation you do, the smoother your journey will be.

Don't wait... Get started today.

Blood Sugar Screening - what the numbers don't say

2010-08-04T15:43:00.003-04:00

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work at multiple health fairs throughout the year in my surrounding community. I always enjoy meeting other healthcare providers and talking with the various employees and participants about their journey to health. It feels particularly good to reach so many individuals during a single day.

A couple weeks ago while spending the day at a health fair, I was concerned by something I overheard a employee say. I thought it would provide a useful and educational anecdote for people concerned about nutritional health.

The story happened something like this:

There was a nurse down at the other end of the room. She was doing finger sticks and checking employee's blood sugars as a basic diabetes screening. It was a simple test and most of the participants that weren't afraid of needles were having their numbers evaluated. A group of women, having just had their blood sugars checked, progressed across the room towards my table. While standing in front of me, a particular woman boasted of her food choices for the day: "Pancakes from McDonalds, hashbrowns, 2 soft drinks, and a cookie from the insurance table just across the way. Guess what? Her blood sugar was only 78." She smiled and gave herself a nod of approval at her excellent number.

In retrospect, I would have slowed my immediate response, but I was so upset by the inefficiency of this test in this particular moment that I jumped right in with an assessment of the situation. The woman was overweight and quite typically carrying the majority of her excess adipose tissue around her abdominal area. What I let her know, was that in order for her body to produce a blood sugar of 78 on this day following the food choices she had made, her pancreatic beta cells had to produce significantly more insulin than required had her food choices been different. Based on the blood sugar reading, it succeeded. But the extra insulin required to control the sugar spike from the foods consumed conveys a message to the body. The abundance of insulin tells the body, we have an excess of easy energy right now, the best thing to do is store it as fat for a later use. In addition to causing the body to store the consumed calories as fat, the insulin is also pro-inflammatory throughout the body. When this message and these signals are repeated day in and day out the end result is always the same => the individual is overweight and on the road to becoming a type II diabetic.

This is the risk with isolated screenings that do not consider the individual within the context of the big picture. Even though the number may look good today, the long term risks are compiling because the lifestyle factors are being neglected.

Annual check ups

2009-05-08T09:20:00.001-04:00

It is a really good idea to see your PCP doc at least once a year. In addition to establishing the individual baselines as far as labs go and doing the basic preventative screening, it puts you in front of your doctor who sees probably thousands of patients a year and helps build that point of contact for you individually. It is a really good thing to have if anything ever comes up that truly needs emergency medical attention. Even though the conventional crew doesn't necessarily have the same ideals as we might regarding our own health and a more holistic approach to dis-ease prevention, they are still a very valuable part of our health care system. And to truly be proactive for our own health, we need to have a solid relationship with those people we may need to depend on outside of ourselves.

If you haven't had your annual PCP visit this year, please call and make an appointment ASAP.

Thank you Dr. Allen Walker

2009-04-01T22:58:00.003-04:00

I would like to thank Dr. F. Allen Walker (http://www.louisvilleadhd.com/) and his patients for allowing me to sit in with them yesterday during their regular follow ups. Dr. Walker is a board certified psychiatrist in Louisville, Kentucky that specializes in working with patients that struggle with ADHD.

I feel very fortunate to have met Dr. Walker and to have him as a resource for myself and my patients here in Louisville that struggle with behavior, concentration, and focus disorders. It was obvious to me after watching him with his first patient yesterday that he is meticulous and compassionate when it comes to "diagnosing" his patients; and that he is also not a practitioner that simply throws out a prescription for a drug to bandaid a complex set of symptoms. Dr. Walker knows that the lifestyle components for patients are a crucial piece of the puzzle for a truly holistic and lasting improvement in the overall quality of life.

Here is what Dr. Allen Walker wrote about his treatment philosophy on his website:

What is clear is that stimulant ADHD medications can be helpful, at least in the short term . While the ADHD medications can allow changes to take place, the effect wears off when the ADHD medication wears off. The ADHD medications do not improve academic skills or increase knowledge, however ADHD medications can help people pay better attention and see their work to completion. The ADHD medications only control the symptoms however they do not address the root cause of Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms and quite honestly scientists do not know precisely how the medications work . ADHD medications are like glasses or allergy medications. The ADHD medications don’t cure the disorder they only temporarily control the symptoms.
I specialize in the treatment of ADHD and combine the use of medications along with identification and modification of underlying issues associated with ADHD. I deal with these issues first or simultaneously before rushing into a course of ADHD medications. For lasting improvements, I recommend and utilize consistent behavioral and organizational therapy along with medications. The use of emotional counseling, practical support, healthy diet, daily exercise and good sleep hygiene further assist to diminish the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. As in most psychiatric diagnoses there is no magic bullet and typically long-lasting change involves consistent investment into practicing lifestyle and behavioral changes. (http://www.louisvilleadhd.com/my-philosophy.php)

It is refreshing for me to know Dr. Walker is here in Louisville. There are conventionally trained medical doctors in Kentucky that are open and embracing a more holistic approach to health and wellness. Bit by bit, we are on the right track.

Healthy Optimism

2009-03-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

I read on Monday that President Obama has "allocated 155 million to 126 community health centers" as part of the economic stimulus package. http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN0243160920090302?sp=true

This is a meager percentage of the nearly 800 billion dollars that the President is promoting overall. So I am not sure if my concern is warranted. My fear is that these new health centers will simply offer more of the same regarding primary health care and dis-ease prevention.

The new centers are planned to provide services to those most in need, those individuals with low incomes and little to no health insurance. These services will include state-of-the-art testing - laboratory and diagnostic imaging. The treatments will allow access to prescription medicines that these patients typically would not be able to afford. Is this a good thing?

I am not fully sure. I want to be optimistic about our economy and the overall health or pursuit of health of the American citizens. But I am afraid that the state-of-the-art testing and high cost prescriptions will be vastly missing the target on what is really going on with these individuals that are most in need.

In our Western society, the diseases of the poor are typically lifestyle ailments: diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. My experience and medical training has demonstrated over and over again that these conditions are most effectively (both for overall improvement of health and for cost/expense ratio) treated by lifestyle interventions. It is about education, providing the tools needed to empower the individual to be responsible for their own health goals. I am worried that the labs and testing won't reach the same diagnosis; and that the treatments that would have the greatest overall benefit won't fit in a little pill.

why we need education, education...

2009-02-13T11:03:00.001-05:00

Our pursuit of health is our own and we need to be educated and walk in a manner that is safe and comfortable for ourselves. But it never ceases to amaze me how the conventional paradigm has brain washed the masses into a quiet obedience to whatever is suggested. Take this quote for example.

"And there's nothing wrong with meds, they're just as natural as anything else in the world, especially all this "probiotic" stuff." by John

Now I would never assert there is anything wrong with meds or ever even make such a statement. Being a licensed and board certified primary care physician with full prescriptive privileges I recognize their importance and place in health care when needed. I also wouldn't say that the "natural" stuff is always better. There is a time and place for everything.

I certainly wouldn't say that the pharm meds are as natural as the probiotics or herbal meds that I might recommend. I also would not claim that a synthetic dye is as natural as a sepia dye made from squid ink. It would only be foolishness or simple arrogance that would allow someone to make such a absurd comparison.

I have said this over and over again. It doesn't matter what we give or what we take in our pursuit of health... it only matters why we take it. It is the philosophy of healing that is at the heart of pure medicine. It is the patients and the physician's job to find their individual balance in that relationship. Good luck finding yours.

Fast Food Sales are Increasing... but at what cost

2008-12-09T15:07:00.003-05:00

I keep reading at multiple online news sources that McDonalds, Burger King, etc. are experiencing a sales boost while most other areas of our economy are strugling to get by. It seems obvious that people are looking for cheap food during this time of financial hardship. I speculate that it also provides a sense of nostalgia and comfort as we return to these establishments that were such a frequent stopping place during our youth. I remeber going to McDonalds with friends from school after every football and basketball game. Up till this week, I would have needed two hands to count the number of years it has been since I ate food (using that term loosely) in a fast food resturant. But this past Saturday, I found myself in the drive through at Chic Filet. Now I knew it wasn't the best choice for me that evening, and I can't really explain what the impetus was for choicing fast food that night. It may have been as simple as eating for as little money as possible.

Regardless, I did it; others are doing it too. And it is happening much more frequently than it was prior to the financially challenging times we are now experiencing. I am worried. The media outlets seem to report this occurence with an admirable awe... a feeling of "isn't it great that the fast food industry has figured out how to make money during this hardship?". I am personally not impressed. I am worried. Fast food may be a quick, inexpensive fix to the question "what's for dinner tonight?". But it is also a hidden and rather rapid decline down a road that is much more difficult and expensive to climb. Fast food isn't bad all by itself. It needs a second, and a third meal, and a fourth, and a fifth, etc. consumed back to back to back. Life and health is about moderation. But as financial stress complicates our lives, it easy to forego health for the sake of convience and affordability. My advice: try not to do it.

what is homeopathy

2008-11-03T11:08:00.001-05:00

What is Homeopathy?

I am asked this question on an almost daily basis. It makes perfect sense that patients have some confusion about its meaning because it is a commonly misunderstood concept, even by other holistic practitioners. The term “homeopathy” is often used interchangeably with “Naturopathy”. Even though both practices share some common principles, there are some very distinct differences between the modalities.

Homeopathy is a philosophy of medicine, not a specific type of medicine. A medicine is prescribed homeopathically for an individual patients with very specific symptoms that indicate a specific medicine. The medicine is not homeopathic until that patient is considered. For example, Arnica Montana is commonly indicated and used homeopathically for bruises and muscle soreness. The Arnica sitting on the shelf waiting to be prescribed is not homeopathic. Arnica taken before work outs to try and minimize muscles soreness is not being used homeopathically. Only when an individual already has muscle soreness or a bruise and is given Arnica, is the Arnica now a homeopathic medicine.

Naturopathy can utilize any accepted modality to support healing for an individual. This may include giving medicine homeopathically, but also can include utilizing herbal medicine, nutrition, supplementation, hydrotherapy, TCM and acupuncture, minor surgery, and even pharmaceutical drugs.

It may seem that this is simply a matter of semantics, which in many ways it is. But I think the semantics of medicine are extremely important. It is not what we are doing, but why we are doing it that makes a difference. Here are a few of the proper terms used to describe what often is called homeopathy these days:

Potentized Medicines – procedure in which liquids (the mother tincture) are progressively diluted and succused (a striking of the liquid in its container against a specific surface) to enhance its healing properties while minimizes its potential side-effects. It is possible to make a potentized medicine from any substance or combination of substances.

Isopathy – is the prescription of a specific potentized medicine based specifically on the causative agent while ignoring the patient’s specific symptom picture. An example would be using Rhus Toxidendrum (poison ivy) to treat a poison ivy rash. This mentality ignores the symptoms of the patient as well as the symptoms of the remedy discovered by proving.

Organotherapy – uses the extracts from animal glands or organs to treat disease or dysfunction of those organs. Often this organotherapeutic agents are prepared as potentized medicines.

Combination Remedies – uses a combination of potentized medicines to treat a specific condition, regardless of the specific symptoms. Combination remedies may combine potentized medicines from any source. Combination remedies are often used to treat conditions with children: teething, colic, ear aches, etc.

Classical Homeopathy (single remedy prescribing) – It is important to distinguish the use of potentized medicines and the use of potentized medicines homeopathically. A medicine, by its own qualities is not homeopathic. But, a specific medicine can be used homeopathically… meaning that it is prescribed based on the presenting totality of symptoms of the patient, encompassing the mental, emotional, and physical realm. It must be a remedy that has been “proven” to invoke a similar symptom picture in a healthy individual.

Hahnemann distinguished homeopathy from other treatment philosophy and coined the following terms.

Allopathy from the Greek: allos = other and pathos = suffering
Treating disease with medicines that produce symptoms different than those of the disease. A term that has come to signify conventional or orthodox medicine in general.

Antipathic from the Greek: enanti = opposite and pathos = suffering
Treating disease with medicines that produce effects opposite to those of the disease. This is most of the palliative treatments used today.

Health and Beauty ~ the art of you

2008-09-18T10:18:00.002-04:00

The number one thing you can do to support healthy skin is to stay hydrated every single day. At a minimum, we should drink half of our body weight in ounces of water each day (a 130 lb. individual should drink at least 65 oz. of water per day), and for each serving of coffee or alcohol per day increase the water intake by another 8 oz.

Skin protection is crucial to avoid the damage that can be caused from excessive exposure to sun radiation. Always apply a “natural” sunscreen to the head, face, ears, and neck for any exposure lasting longer than 15 minutes.

Following extended exposure, counter the oxidative damage caused from the sun by supplementing with anti-oxidants. Green tea, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, mixed carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, are a few examples of supplements with excellent anti-oxidant properties. (my 2 personal favorite products following sun exposure are: SC Antioxidants and Zyflamend, both made by New Chapter)

We need adequate essential fatty acid intake to have healthy cell walls. The typical standard American diet (SAD) is vastly void of the necessary Omega 3 fatty acids. In addition to skin and cell wall health, omega 3 fatty acids are vital to creating healthy inflammation levels throughout the body. We should strive for 1000 mg daily of EPA to help create a more healthy balance of essential fatty acids.

It is also important to have the trace minerals that are crucial for skin health. These include: biotin, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, silica, copper, and pantothenic acid. A high quality multi-vitamin/mineral formula should contain most of the required trace elements. At times it may be beneficial to utilize other nutritional supports.

Hormonal balance is the often over looked piece to the healthy skin puzzle.

Thyroid deficiency – dry skin and hair, facial puffiness

Estrogen dominance – dry thin wrinkly skin, thinning of scalp hair, increased facial hair

Adrenal fatigue – think wispy hair, dry skin, sunken eye appearance with dark circles around the eyes, may have skin pigmentation issues, craves sweet and salty snacks.

**The information above was compiled for informative purposes only. If you believe you are suffering from a nutrient or hormone deficiency seek the care of health care professional.**

My Move To Kentucky

2008-09-08T12:52:00.001-04:00

Dear Patient

I am writing this letter to you to thank you immensely for your patronage during this past year. It has been a true joy to work with everyone at my Vital Force practice in Cambridge, Mass. I truly believe that the continual pursuit of health is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. I feel so fortunate to have been able to share my ideas about Naturopathy and Homeopathy with you on your journey.

I also am writing to inform you that after much consideration and some hesitation I have decided to move back to my home town of Louisville, Kentucky at the end of the summer. My last day in the office will be Friday, August 22nd.

I have accepted a position in an integrative/holistic practice in Louisville. I am very excited by the vision of this practice and eager to bring my unique style of Naturopathy and Homeopathy back to the bluegrass state. I am also ready to relocate closer to my family so that I can be more involved in the care of my sister as she struggles with chronic health issues.

A stipulation for my acceptance of the position was my continual availability to work with any patients from my Cambridge practice while at this new office. This can be easily accomplished by regular phone and/or video follow-ups. It is common in the Homeopathic profession to maintain this type of care with patients.

I will also happily refer any patients that would prefer to work with a practioner face-to-face to a local Naturopath or Homeopath as appropriate for the individual patient. Please contact me directly and we make the necessary arrangements.

My Vital Force Website www.vitalforcenaturopathy.com will continue to exist and link directly to my new practice in the near future. I will continue to be available to you through email at drswanz@gmail.com. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. I will be available through the rest of the summer for any patients that may wish to come in and have a final face-to-face appointment.

Thank you again for all your time and effort and for trusting and sharing your healing with me. I am truly blessed to be a part of this health revolution.

Peace and Health,

~Dr. Swanz

Health and Discipline

2008-07-25T11:52:00.000-04:00

It often comes as a shock when I am talking to people and tell them that I almost never eat wheat. “How do you do it?” they ask. And I typically give details about my meal choices. I eat eggs for breakfast, fruits and veggies throughout the day always balanced with protein, I may detail some of the wheat alternatives I use on occasion. That is the end of it. Question answered.

But as I have been thinking more and more about the question, I am starting to believe that my answers have been quite superficial and potentially misleading. The foods that I choose to eat as a substitute for wheat, are not actually “how” I do it, instead it is the mindset that I possess, the “why” I do it, that constitutes a better answer. I feel like I say this over and over about Naturopathic medicine, “It’s not what we do, but why we do it that matters”.

So I am able to recognize my own sensitivity to wheat. It is an issue for me. When I consume wheat, my digestion becomes stagnant, I retain water, my energy crashes shortly there after, and I generally don’t feel as good as when I am not eating wheat. So there is 1/3 of the “why”. The remaining 2/3’s, the true answer for “how” we can do it, is built here in our desire and discipline.

The desire is to feel my best, to pursue health day in and day out while mindfully living my ideal of life. It is easy to be afraid of the thought of discipline. “How can I be so tough on myself, refrain, restrict, control my impulses and urges?” I don’t think we can, nor should we. Discipline, as it pertains to our pursuit of health, is not about the negative implications it will have for us as an individual. Instead, the healthy disciplined life is about honesty and accountability. It is about recognizing the significance of our choices and attentively, in each moment, deciding what is best and right for us at that moment. There is liberation in discipline, a freedom from the restrictions and an empowering outlook for the future. It is a chance to be honest with our experience as we strive for health in our lives. It is not about perfection, but only about practice. The beauty of this continuous practice is that we can find a support team and have them help us along our way.

Beyond yourself

2008-07-18T16:24:00.003-04:00

If you look beyond yourself for health, you will never find it. Health starts, is achieved and ends with the self, otherwise the pursuit is only a distraction from the true problems at hand.
Because our self is growing, changing, developing daily, constantly moving, our pursuit of health is endless, timeless, needing to grow and change as we do. There is no end goal for health, there is only the journey. I think that is a relief. It removes a great deal of pressure. We simply strive for health for ourselves, what is best for us at any given time. If we fall off the path, we just walk back on and continue.
Where are you on your journey today?

Detox Update

2008-07-16T16:30:00.002-04:00

So the detox was a 2 week success and I apologize for not continuing to document my experience. I do remember vividly that the first 3 days were the hardest, I had a solid headache and felt very lethargic most of that time. But after that, things picked up nicely as they often do. My digestion was superb and I dropped about 8 pounds during the course of the detox.
I don't typically recommend detoxing for the sole purpose of loosing weight, but that is often a pleasant bonus through the experience. For a more permanent weight loss goal, I utilize the UltraLite diet (www.ultralite.us) for my patients. It provides a much more realistic and long term model for sustained weight loss and healthy eating, while also typically providing some detoxification through the process.

Detox Day 1

2008-06-10T18:01:00.004-04:00

I am embarking on a bit of spring cleaning. I sprained my knee about 4 weeks ago and as a result, have forgone exercise and a healthy diet. Instead choosing to occupy my time with the NBA playoffs, cookies and cakes, and beer. (the take home lesson for any patients that may read my blog - try and do what I suggest, not what I do) So now, my knee is not nearly as improved as it should be and I have gained 8 pounds just in time for swimsuit season.

I know better than to have done this, but I did it any way. And now I am 1 day into a 2 week detox to try and get myself moving back in the right direction. There are seemingly endless choices when someone is looking to detox. I am doing my own modification of the 10 day UltraClear diet by Metagenics.

http://metagenics.com/products/detail.asp?pid=34

The basic premise of the detox is as follows: Begin removing detrimental foods day by day while simultaneously introducing and increasing the UltraClear detox shake. In the middle of the detox, you are consuming 4 shakes a day, while only eating organic apples, pears, and greens. Then as you work your way out of the detox, you begin to reintroduce foods and decrease the servings of shakes until you are eating the way you want to. I call my detox "modified" because I typically stretch it out over two weeks and fast for one day in the middle.

The basics of the first day are to simply remove all processed and sweetened products from the diet., as well as all meats. No sugars, sweets, alcohol, or caffeine. Dairy and eggs are still allowed.
Today, I am on my second day and the guidelines are to remove the dairy and eggs and begin by having 2 shakes. I like this detox plan because you can eat from the approved list whenever you are hungry, it is not a fast.

I will try and continue to post on my blog as I navigate my way back to a more structured lifestyle and the feelings of health that I am looking for.

**No body should begin a detox of fast without first seeking direction from a qualified medical professional.

bHIP energy

2008-05-23T14:52:00.003-04:00

bHIP energy… the product
Peter Swanz, ND, FHANP

*bHIP energy makes no medicinal or health claims. It is simply, in my opinion, a healthier alternative to the plethora of sugar and stimulant laden drinks that are dominating the energy drink market. bHIP energy is not a health supplement or medicinal food, it is an energy drink only.

Based on the current trends in the energy drink market, particularly with young adults, it is vital that there are alternatives to the products that dominate the market. I believe bHIP to be such a product.

If you have any questions about bHIP or wonder if it may be a better alternative to the products your friends or family are already using, please contact me at my office 617-388-5126.

Vitamin C – function of Vitamin C: Collagen synthesis, Norepinephrine synthesis, aids in absorption of iron, supports steroid hormone synthesis, antioxidant, drug metabolism and detoxification, carnitine synthesis, degradation of cholesterol, regulates cellular humoral immune function and increase macrophage activity, cancer prevention, activates certain vitamins into their active forms, and antihistamine effects at doses over 6 to 8 grams per day. (Marz, Russell, ND. Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd ed. 1999. p. 236-237.)

Niacin – Is a conenzyme for the dehydrogenases, which are responsible for innumerable biochemical reactions in the body including detoxifying alcohol and utilizing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. (Marz, Russell, ND. Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd ed. 1999. p. 201.)

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – vital for multiple biochemical reactions in the body, including the synthesis or of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and histamine. (Marz, Russell, ND. Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd ed. 1999. p. 211.)

Folic Acid – facilitates the synthesis of purines (required for growth and protein building), essential for the formation and maturation of red and white blood cells, crucial for rapidly multiplying cells (stomach, intestines, vagina, and cervix. (Marz, Russell, ND. Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd ed. 1999. p. 226-227.)

Vitamin B12 – absolutely required for the healthy synthesis of DNA. Also involved in carbohydrate metabolism. (Marz, Russell, ND. Medical Nutrition from Marz 2nd ed. 1999. p. 220-221.)

Maltodextrin (fibersol 2) - soluble dietary fiber, Studies on Fibersol-2 have explored its health properties, including effects on the digestive tract and blood glucose and cholesterol levels; subjects also had significantly increased proportions of bifidobacteria in intestinal microflora. (http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/1b1braning1.html)

Amino Acids (taurine, lysine*, arginine, glutamine, glycine, tyrosine, leucine*, isoleucine*, valine*) * essential amino acids in bold

Malic Acid – provides the tartness in many sweet and tart candies. Malic acid also helps support the body with energy production especially during low oxygen situations (hypoxic energy production)

Guarana Extract – 480 mg of guarana per bHIP packet. Guarana averages between 3 and 10% of caffeine equivalent, so bHIP energy at the upper end of the spectrum may contain 48 mg of caffeine per packet, less than an 8 oz cup of coffee which averages 50 to 60 mg of caffeine per serving. Guarana has been shown in numerous research studies to improve cognition and memory, it increases energy, and along with a healthy diet and exercise regimen can support healthy weight loss. As with any caffeine containing product, excess consumption can contribute to tachycardia (increased heart rate). Guarana containing products should not be used in conjunction with products containing ephedra or by patients using amphetamines.

Green Tea Leaf Extract - in addition to its anti-oxidant properties, green tea contains theanine which is a relaxing amino acid that can help support users through times of stress.
Recent human studies suggest that green tea may contribute to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer, as well as to the promotion of oral health and other physiological functions such as anti-hypertensive effect, body weight control, antibacterial and antivirasic activity, solar ultraviolet protection, bone mineral density increase, anti-fibrotic properties, and neuroprotective power. Beneficial effects of green tea--a review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2006; 25(2):79-99 (ISSN: 0731-5724)

Ginseng Root Extract – adaptogenic, tonic

Maca Root Extract – adaptogenic, tonic

Quebracho Extract - Tonic, febrifuge, and anti-asthmatic (asthmatic support has been shown to be effective cumulatively over a period of time by decreasing frequency of the attacks… not for acute paroxysms) (http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/q/quebra02.html)

White Willow Bark Extract- effective as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory, as well as antioxidant, fever-reducing, antiseptic, and immune-boosting properties. (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/willow-bark-000281.htm)
Glucoronolactone - A substance produced in the liver during the metabolism of glucose. It is a smaller molecule than glucose and may therefore be absorbed into tissues at a faster rate. This may explain, in part, its effect as a stimulant. Glucoronolactone has been also touted to support memory retention, concentration, and may play a role in countering depression. (http://www.performance-edu.com/Glossary/Glucoronolactone.html)
Acai Berry Extract – antioxidant and flavoring

Mandarin Extract - antioxidant and flavoring

Orange Extract - antioxidant and flavoring

Aloe Vera Concentrate - latex from the inner lining of the leaf has traditionally been used as an oral laxative, the gel is a demulcent and is healing to wounds and the skin. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aloe-vera/NS_patient-Aloe)

Maltodextrose – easily utilized sugar and energy source

Fructose – easily utilized sugar and energy source

Stevia - body does not metabolize the sweet glycosides from the stevia leaf or any of its processed forms - so there is no caloric intake. Stevia doesn't adversely affect blood glucose levels and may be used freely by diabetics. (http://www.stevia.com/)

Spring Clean with Greens at the Co-op

2008-05-19T09:07:00.000-04:00

Get Your Green Smoothie on at SPRING CLEAN WITH GREENS.

Tuesday, May 27, 6-7pm, Harvest Co-op 581 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139

Please join Jeanette in this interactive workshop where she will talk about the missing food in the majority of people's diets: greens.

Participants will learn how to make a yummy green smoothie, and discuss how greens can increase our energy, help us understand cravings, and inspire us to create optimal balance in our lives! We will also touch on seasonal eating, exercise, and preventative steps we can take to stay healthy and feel energized.

Complimentary Green Smoothies will be provided!

For more information on this event, please contact Jeanette Richelson, Holistic Health Counselor(Institute for Integrative Nutrition): 617-645-6757, or jeanette@livityhealthcoaching.com or simply visit www.livityhealthcoaching.com

2008-03-27T19:09:00.000-04:00

A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both. -Francois Auguste Rene' Chateaubriand

I read this quote the other day and was amazed by the simplicity and eloquence with which it describes the joy I feel at being able to practice Naturopathic Medicine. I just wanted to share it.

The Vis

2008-03-10T16:07:00.000-04:00

What is the “Vis Medicatrix Naturae”? The term is commonly translated as “the healing power of nature”. I have continuously pondered this physically elusive concept during my training in Naturopathic medical school and through my practice while watching it work. I believe part of the difficulty with conceptually grasping the “Vis” is that the “Vis” is not a thing that is directly perceivable. And we do not yet have a means to measure the effects of the “Vis” and hence confirm its existence.
Gravity for example is not measureable directly. Gravity is a force with an influence affecting other objects. Gravity is a term used to describe the force of attraction exerted by one body on that of another. And we can verify this force of attraction by measuring the speed with which one object accelerates towards another. We do not measure gravity itself. We calculate the gravitational force proportionately based on the mass of the objects and indirectly proportional to the distance between the objects. There is no tool that allows us to measure gravity. When we drop an object towards the earth, we perceive the speed and motion of the object falling toward the earth with our eyes. We are seeing the results of the gravitation force affecting the object, but we do not visualize gravity itself. We have been indoctrinated since grade school, since hearing the story of Newton sitting under the apple tree, that when we see something fall, we understand and believe it is gravity that is influencing this object and is crucial to this phenomenon of falling towards the earth.
I believe the “Vis” is as intricately crucial to healing as gravity is to falling; like gravity the “Vis” is not able to be measured directly; but unlike the recognition of gravity, the “Vis” is not yet recognized and accepted as a crucial component of the healing process. Fortunately, like gravity, we do not have to believe in the “Vis” to experience its effects. The “Vis” is not magical or mystical, it is a term used to describe the healing process of the body. The “Vis” can be supported and encouraged through any means. There is not one area of healing that holds ownership of the “Vis”. Chinese medicine, Western Herbs, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, physical manipulation, etc., can all be used effectively to bolster the healing of the body. I would even argue that western pharmaceuticals can support the “Vis” when applied synergistically to the healing process. I have made this statement many times before and it is certainly worth repeating. It is not what we give to support healing, but why we give it that is important.
The healing that is possible through the support of the “Vis” is the ideal of healing. I feel fortunate to witness, practice, and support this ideal daily. I am encouraged by the feedback from my patients, as they begin to recognize the significance of their healing process. As more and more individuals experience true healing our collective acceptance of the influence of the “Vis” will become universal and our actions will be more congruent with a lifestyle that is beneficial to our own health and the health of the planet. That truly is the healing power of nature.

Homeopathic First Aid Kit - basics

2008-02-10T12:09:00.000-05:00

Homeopathic First Aid Kit

Arnica Montana
It is ideal for the aches with bruises and sore muscles. Arnica is especially suited when the skin color turns black and blue. It is perfect for bumps on the head and other parts of the body.

Belladonna
A very common fever remedy. Extreme heat and redness, often intense and throbbing pain. Typically red, flushed face, especially right sided. It comes on quickly and progresses rapidly, a sudden attack. No thirst with the fever.

Chamomilla
A common children’s remedy for colic and teething, but also ear infections, fever, etc. A chamomilla child is sensitive and irritable, almost besides themselves with pain. The children are whiny, restless, and impatient. They don’t want to be spoken to or touched. Often point at something they want and when given it will through it away. Chamomilla children can also be red and hot, like Belladonna, but typically it presents on both cheeks of the face with Chamomilla. Typically the only thing that calms the child is being held and carried about the room.

Drosera
A common cough remedy. A cough that comes on at night as soon as the child’s head hits the pillow. A cough in prolonged and periodical fits of rapid, deep, incessant barking and choking. Sounds like a loose cough, but nothing comes up. The cough is typically better when the child sits up in bed.

Hypericum
An excellent first aid remedy for injury to the nerves, especially localized to the fingers and toes. Perfect for fingers slammed in the door, toes stubbed on walls and doors. An intense, extreme pain. Hypericum may also be indicated for insect stings and bites as well as burns on the fingers and toes – if the pain is intense.

Ledum
Ledum is a first aid remedy for puncture wounds produced by sharp-pointed instruments. An injury that requires ledum is typically purple, puffy, and cold… may feel numb. Even though injury feels cold to the touch, it is better with cold applications and worse with heat. One should strongly consider ledum for insect bites and stings in areas other than fingers and toes. Ledum can also facilitate the removal of foreign bodies stuck in the skin, like splinters, ingrown hairs, etc.

Coffea Cruda
Sleeplessness with nervous agitation and restlessness. Difficulty falling asleep or back to sleep because of an active mind. Restless sleep. Inability to fall asleep due to excessive caffeine intake.

Nux Vomica
A broad acting remedy especially suited to digestive disturbances (nausea and vomiting) following over indulgences in food and/or drink. Head pain as if head was beaten with an axe and extreme tension in forehead. A Nux Vomica patient is very irritable with heightened senses, can hardly bear noises, odors, bright light, etc. Generally want to be left alone to sleep it off.

*synthesized from the Concordant Materia Medica, by Frans Vermeulen

Homeopathic Dosing Instructions: Take 3-5 pellets every twenty to thirty minutes for a few hours. If symptoms do not begin to subside after three doses of a given medicine, it most likely is not the best suited remedy for the patient.

Medicine and Politics

2008-01-21T23:48:00.000-05:00

While at SCNM (www.scnm.edu) I was advised multiple times not to mix medicine with religion or politics. Yet I am perpetually fascinated by both topics. And now in the midst of an election year, the significance of politics and medicine is of vast importance. I find myself drawn to the presidential primary debates to determine, if that is possible, where the candidates stand on health care for our country. I yearn for an awareness of the candidate’s ideals and of the ramifications of those ideals for Naturopathic Medicine. 2008 -2009 may be a bit premature when looking for a candidate that supports Naturopathic licensure throughout the United States. But the significance of the healthcare reform that all candidates propose can not be overstated.

I do not have an answer as to which candidate would be best. I am not sure any of the candidates will have solutions to my questions. I imagine that all the candidates have plans limited by the paradigm of the conventional medical establishment, limited by how to work within the confines of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. This is a broken system. I have yet to hear any solid solutions for how the proposed healthcare reforms will meaningfully restructure this monetarily driven industry into a configuration that truly values the health of the consumer over the financial bottom line.

I believe when health becomes the true focus; when the well being of the individual overshadows the financial ramifications to the industry; when gentle prevention is valued equal to invasive treatment; Naturopathic medicine will play an emphatic and vital role in the this new and truly holistic health care system.

What is possible?

2008-01-11T09:01:00.000-05:00

2008 is here. It is a new year with new hopes and ideals about the many ways we can live a more healthy life. I am optimistic about the possibilities. It seems that this is a very common occurrence. People say good bye to the old, welcome in the new, and expect that this is the year for change. The enthusiasm is a vital part of the requirements for change. But it is only one of the pieces. For things to happen differently, there must be a shift in thoughts and behaviors as well. A new paradigm where eating healthy and exercising regularly are fully conceivable, even if these behaviors have been absent from the past.
2008 is an opportunity to imagine and create what is possible. Imagining and believing are the very first steps.
Who do you want to be in 2008?

Garlic Oxymel repost

2007-11-27T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is an easy at home recipe for a garlic oxymel. Ox´y`mel. A mixture of honey, water, vinegar, and plant, boiled to a syrup. This is great when used at the first signs of a cold or flu.

Needed: At least 1 bulb of garlic, Local honey*, Apple Cider Vinegar, Water.

Instructions:
Peel garlic cloves and cut in half.
Boil garlic in 4 cups of water until translucent.
Remove water from stove.
Add 1/4 cup of honey.
Add 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.
Mix well.

Drink 1/3 to 1/2 cup of warm liquid, two to three times a day, eating at least 2 cloves of the cooked garlic with each serving. Oxymel may be kept covered in the refrigerator for 4 weeks.

*do not give honey to children under 1 year old. Feel free to share this with friends. Look for more at home immune support in the future.

Common Flu Remedies

2007-10-19T13:58:00.000-04:00

Common Flu Remedies

This is general information only. These remedies should be used only under the guidance of a trained homeopath. Please call my office if you have any questions. 617-388-5126

Aconite – Acute conditions arising from shock, coming on suddenly and with great intensity. Often indicated during the early phase of respiratory infections, influenza, and pneumonia. There is a sudden, marked heat with fever alternating with chills. Heat and flushing to the face, pupils constricted, restlessness, thirst for cold drinks, cold extremities, and often with great anxiety and fear.

Baptisia – confusion, dullness of mind, tired, may fall asleep while talking. Sore, aching, and heavy muscles… bruised feeling where the patient is uncomfortable in any position. The bed feels too hard (Arnica). Can have red, inflamed throat that is painless.

Belladonna – Start suddenly with high fevers and great intensity of physical symptoms. The face is red and hot, eyes glisten, the pupils are dilated and the feet and hands are cold. Typically the patient is thristless. Pains can be throbbing. Symptoms may be worse on right side. May have fits of delirium with the fever.

Eucalyptus – Relapsing fevers. Profuse catarrhal discharges, foul and fetid. Vertigo with all stages of the fever. Stuffed up sensation in nose, feeling of mucus in throat. Irritating cough with flu. Odorous perspiration.

Eupatorium Perfoliatum – Tremendous bone pains accompanying fevers. Aching as if the bones are broken. Thirst for cold drinks during the chill. Influenza with high fevers. Patient is typically restless with the extreme pains. Pains worse lying down. Vomits water or food that has been taken in. Little or no sweat with fever, but perspiration typically improves symptoms. Restless, but worse with motion. Better with vomiting, better with conversation.

Gelsemium – Weakness on all levels- mental, emotional, and physical. Overall sense of heaviness. Thirstless. Dizzy, drowsy, dullness, and trembling. Better with urination. Fever with absence of thirst.

Rhus Toxicodendron – Influenza with much aching forcing the patient to shift around constantly. Great restlessness. Better with continued motion. Better with hard pressure. Better from heat or a hot bath.

Sanguinaria – Generally right sided complaints. Better from eructaion, flatus, or vomiting. Painful cough, colds often move to the chest. Cough better from vomiting. Feet hot at night, must put out from under the covers. Flushes of heat rising into the face and head.

Veratrum Album – Profuse cold sweat, especially on forehead. Internal coldness and much worse from cold. Weakness and collapse states, especially with vomiting or diarrhea. Sudden urging with vomiting or diarrhea. Emotionally haughty. Voracious appetite and thirst.

*synthesized from the Concordant Materia Medica, by Frans Vermeulen and from the Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms, by Roger Morrison, M.D.

Innate Healing and Naturopathic Philosophy

2007-10-09T13:33:00.000-04:00

Once again, I was out on the town in Cambridge this past weekend visiting a local health food store. I enjoy these opportunities to talk to customers about their health and the potential for healing, often supported by the available herbs, homeopathics, and supplements. I am frequently amazed and sometimes impressed, by the customers own grasp of health and healing. And then there are the times I am amazed and not so impressed. This weekend provided a bit of both.
There was a woman that was in the store and we began to discuss her recently broken arm. She had fallen three weeks earlier and shattered her wrist. I am not sure which bones, but she said she required plates and the doctors were recommending that she attend physical therapy to support healing so that she would have continued use of the arm. She did not want to go, instead preferring to allow the body to heal itself. She shared her belief that the body should heal itself if given the right foods and listening to your internal instincts. She asked me what I thought.
I expressed my concern that fibrosis and adhesions that can form during the healing process can severely limit future use. It is not advisable to leave an injury totally immobile. I would use homeopathics and hydrotherapy in addition to the physical therapy to help facilitate the healing process in the body.
This answer was totally unacceptable to her. I was accused of being to "western" in my medical beliefs. When I tried to elaborate on Naturopathic philosophy, I believe she directed an expletive toward me and then walked off to allow her wrist to fibrosis as she wanted.
I am not sure what she wanted to hear. But I am sorry that we couldn't meet somewhere in the middle. I respect her desire to allow the body its own healing process. I too, desire to allow the body its own healing process. But as a Naturopathic Doctor, I believe we can support and enhance these actions with specifically selected treatments. The body does have an innate ability to right imbalance. We are striving constantly towards a state of equilibrium. I guess we could sit back and expect this all to happen despite the influences that are beyond our control. Or, we can make those little changes, do those little things to make it that much easier for the process to happen. Would using alternating hydrotherpy, hot and cold baths, to support circulation to an inflamed tissue area be an acceptable treatment? For me and the vast majority of my patients, Yes. But for the woman in the health food store this past weekend it would be too much.
I hope she heals well and finds the support she is seeking to validate her beliefs. I feel fortunate to already be comfortable with my healing philosophy and to share those beliefs with patients that are willing to pursue their own ideals.

OVERDO$ED AMERICA by John Abramson, M.D.

2007-09-16T20:49:00.000-04:00

I finished Doctor Abramson's book this past week. It is quite possibly one of the most important books this decade, yet too few individuals have been exposed to this book or the message that it conveys. My intention is to inspire all my friends, family, and patients to discover this book for themselves so that they too may then share the information with those important people in their lives. The American health paradigm has to change. It is broken, and it is our responsibility to fix it. Overdosed America may be just the tool we need to create a wave of knowledge and then reform the system that directly affects us all.

Doctor Abramson writes:

The American health care system keeps edging ever closer to the breaking point. Many factors are contributing, but in the eye of the storm is a single factor: The transformation of medical knowledge from a public good, measured by its potential to improve our health, into a commodity, measured by its commercial value. This transformation is the result of the commercial takeover of the process by which "scientific evidence" is produced. (p. 91)

The health care system is better described as a "health care industry". The industry as a whole is driven by its component parts. The primary parts of the health care industry are the pharmaceutical, insurance, medical supply and equipment, and hospital provider groups. These component parts are measured individually by the ability to generate revenue and profits. And when it comes to making money, these components are often an obnoxious success. But as a consumer, spending money on these products and services, success should be measured only by the quality of the product, not the cost or revenue it generates. If this is the case, then its the quality of health of the consumers that should indicate the overall measure of the industry. As a whole, we don't make the grade. Our health care system is absurdly over priced and the product does not stand up with the other industrialized nations. Something has to change. And I believe it is up to the consumer spark the shift.

I will write more about this book and topic during the next weeks.

AANP 2007 Palm Springs, CA

2007-08-29T18:16:00.000-04:00

I just returned from the AANP conference in Palm Springs, California. It is the annual conference for the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (http://www.naturopathic.org/). Naturopathic Doctors, Students, and supporters from all over the country come together to share the latest in research, product development, treatment methodologies, and general passion and love for Naturopathic medicine. It is an outstanding time.

I would like to thank all of the excellent speakers that put in vast amounts of time preparing for the various talks that help keep those in the naturopathic profession up to date. Research and continuing education is crucial so that we as physicians can provide the best possible care for our patients.

I also want to thank my colleagues and all of the Naturopathic students that attend the conference each year. It is inspiring to be surrounded by so many like minded individuals with a passion for the body's own innate ability to heal. To be surrounded by a cohort with such energy is rejuvenating for the spirit. My words can never fully convey the depth or breadth of my love for those with the hearts and courage to pursue this healing profession.

I want to send a heart felt congratulations to Dr. Paul Mittman, ND, DHANP, president of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (http://www.scnm.edu/) for his award of Naturopathic Doctor of the Year. It is truly an honor and only slightly begins to recognize all of the hard work he has contributed to the profession as both a healer and diplomat in support of licensure and standards of education. I was blessed to spend time with Dr. Mittman on shifts at the SCNM teaching clinic.

I feel lucky every day to work with amazing patients. And it is so important to remember how fortunate I am to be part of this much larger healing community. The AANP conference is the perfect reminder.

See you next year in Phoenix!

Just look at us

2007-08-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

Last week I spent two days at the National Conference for State Legislatures http://www.ncsl.org/, here in Boston. I was there representing the AANP, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians www.naturopathic.org , often confused with the American Academy of Nurse Practioners www.aanp.org.
This national conference is an opportunity for different interest groups to meet with state representatives and senators from all 50 states, talk briefly with them and give away free pens and pins. (my favorite pin is from the AANR... just visit the site http://aanr.com/, even though head or arm bands would have been a more appropriate give away.)
I heard something that seemed profound to me at the time from a 4th year naturopathic medical student. We were standing there discussing our lobbying efforts and the fact that most of the opposition for Naturopathic licensure is initiated by the American Medical Association http://www.ama-assn.org/. It just doesn't seem to make sense. Both groups want to help patients. Both groups want standards of practice within their professions to ensure patient safety. I just kept saying, "It is no brainer". And then here is where the brilliance came through. My soon to be fellow naturopathic physician said, "There is licensure for everything, from plumbing, hair cutting, to spraying for bugs. That is easy. The problem for the AMA is that once we are licensed, we can no longer be ignored. It will force conventional doctors to recognize us, and most of them aren't willing to do that... yet."
The environment is shifting and more and more conventional practitioners are becoming open to a more traditional, patient centered approach to health. I have a dream, that one day we will all heal together.

The eye of the storm

2007-08-10T14:36:00.000-04:00

Life can often swirl around us like a hurricane. Stress from work, home, and family creating havoc all around. These forces are very real and significant, yet we need not be carried away with the storm. There is a area of refuge in the center of the storm, a place of safety and perspective where we can stand quietly in the midst of chaos and observe as a participant of our lives; yet slightly removed from the turmoil. This is a vastly different approach than fleeing from our problems. It often requires patience and mindfulness to be still while life unfolds around you and eventually opens to leave you in this center.

Our dis-ease can also can also come flying at us from all directions, creating a fear that our health will be swept away. Like the hurricane, there is a space of clarity and peace in the middle, when we are part of our illness, yet quiet enough to evaluate our options. This is where and when we should make decisions about our health and treatments to move us further back to that lofty goal of wellness. Too often, when significant health decisions must be made there is an urgency that creeps in. When "there is no time to think", we literally make choices for ourselves and our families without thought.

My hope is that during the next life catastrophe we can take one extra breath, close our eyes, and open them during the clarity that comes from giving ourselves just enough leeway to move free of all the flying debris.

Your finger or your health

2007-07-16T21:43:00.000-04:00

I periodically visit local health food stores to answer questions for customers and allow myself an opportunity to become familiar with new products on the shelves. This past Saturday I was approached by a woman looking for advice for her husband. Her story went like this:
My husband has horrible eczema on the index finger of his right hand. It is so bad. It oozes all the time and it extremely painful. Nothing has been able to help him. We have been to all the specialists. And then he had pneumonia and was in the hospital, but that is better... but now he has a horrible ear infection. It never stops. And his finger hurts so bad. They have even suggested cutting off the finger because nothing else helps.
I quickly told her that I didn't think it was necessary. I showed her a few of the common remedies for ecezma and explained how based on the complexity of his health conditions he would benefit most from coming in and seeing me for a complete intake. Her response was that he wouldn't come in because he thought all this stuff was voodoo. Before I could stop myself, I said, "well then, tell him to cut his finger off."
I feel it was a bit of a harsh response, but it wasn't me that suggested cutting the finger off as a legitimate option for the painful eczema on his fingers. We truly do have options when it comes to our health. It is frightening that the overwhelming majority of the population will hardly consider seeking a second or alternative opinion when it comes to choices regarding their health. I do believe this trend is shifting and we are slowly recognizing the power we have in creating our own ideal life. I just hope it is not going to happen too late... 10 fingers seem like a lot to loose.

The Appearance of Health

2007-06-27T16:42:00.001-04:00

One must make a huge distinction between the appearance of health and the actual state of health. Too often, we become blinded to the true nature of illness and dis-ease, by the outward illusion of health. I was most recently thinking of this dilemma in regards to weight loss. The epidemic of eating disorders and diet mania is a prime example. Individuals starve themselves, deprive the body of essential nutrients, and generally spiral out of control toward an ever widening state of illness, under the guise of creating heath by being skinny. It is a sham. Health is independent of weight, and it is more important to live a healthy life at any weight than it is to be at the bottom of the BMI.
I do not mean to imply that we should be skinny or fat, that one is good while the other is bad. It is just as likely the case that a 220 lb woman is as healthy as a 150 lb counterpart. I have worked with patients that are "rail thin" with chronic aches and pains, and triglycerides and cholesterol off the charts. We can not, nor should we judge a book by its cover.
It is true that when we begin to move towards a more ideal state of health, we will often loose excess weight. This is an expected result and if the lifestyle changes are permanent, the weight loss should be too. So begin your journey to find the balance of health, internal and external, and enjoy a more complete way of living.

No Surprise, but second-hand smoke damages Endothelial function in Children

2007-06-13T18:22:00.000-04:00

I am not surprised by this statement recently disclosed in Heartwire, a professional service of medscape. This conclusion was based on the results from a study in Finland looking at the correlation between a metabolite of nicotine found in the urine of children and the ability of the same children's endothelial cells to dilate. It is no surprise that those children with a higher concentration of the urinary metabolite, had poorer functioning endothelial cells. What is significant, is that they began to notice these effects in children as young as 8 years old (the age when they first started to test), with levels indicating that their overall exposure to smoke was minimal.

It doesn't take much to start our children off in the wrong direction. This study illustrates just how susceptible children are to influences both within and beyond our control. It is vital to do what we can to minimize the unnecessary exposure to toxins that will effect our children down the road. This requires a strong degree of awareness on the part of adults because as the study illustrated, we may not observe the subtle damage that is taking place until it is too late.

Ready or Not, Here Health Comes

2007-06-07T14:33:00.000-04:00

Today is my first day seeing patients in my new office location in Central Square in Cambridge. I don't feel ready. My printer/fax/copy machine isn't here yet. I don't have my credit card machine. And while filling my first homeopathic remedy in my new office I realized that I didn't have any labels to put on the vial. For the past two days I have been wishing for an extra day to pull things together, to catch my breath and get all the little things... and then I would be ready to begin seeing patients.
But you know what? Now is as good a time as any. This is an important lesson to learn. Especially concerning our health. Too often we want to wait to begin making those changes that will benefit us or others until everything is just right. We want it to be perfect. We have to first get through the holiday, or the weekend, or the project, or until the extra money is there. The problem is that there will always be another project, another distraction, just one more thing that you need until the time will be just right. When you keep waiting and putting it off, the time won't necessarily become right, too often it becomes too late.
Don't wait until tomorrow. We can start working these things out together, today.

The Therapeutic Order

2007-05-28T23:35:00.000-04:00

This is the direction healing should take from beginning to end.
1. Identify and Remove causes of disease
2. Establish a Healthy Regimen
3. Stimulate the Self Healing Mechansims
4. Support Weakened or Damaged Systems
5. Correct Structural Integrity
6. Address Pathology
7. Suppress Pathology

I like to check back in with the Therapeutic order once and awhile to make sure I am sticking to my ideals about healing and the philosophy central to Naturopathic Medicine. I beleive this order of healing transcends modalities, and is more about restoring balance to the patients underlying vitality than utilizing any specific treatment method. This is crucial as practioners. It is easy to get wrapped up in the newest herb, or procedure, or pharmaceutical drug... and then find oneself quickly prescribing it to every patient regardless of the individual imbalance from which each patient may suffer.
Hopefully this rememberence now and then will allow me to share this more clearly with my patients through my actions, thoughts, and words. I beleive it is crucial that the patient also grasps this understanding. Then they are more likely to embrace the changes necessary to support total healing. This is the ultimate goal.

Big change happening

2007-05-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

I have not posted for almost 2 weeks. My life has been full of turmoil, as they often can be, and I just have not been able to get to my blog. But as I begin to see my way through the chaos, I am relieved and inspired by what my future may hold. New growth and possibilities are more vivid after the storm.
And my new future is bringing my Naturopathic/Homeopathic practice across the Charles River to Cambridge, which fortune has also made my home town. I am leaving the comfort of the Brookline location after one excellent year and embarking on my own journey. The time is right. So I have elected to take the necessary steps in order to continue to serve the patients I have grown so fond of with the kind of holistic care they are entitled to. I look forward to seeing faces, new and old at my new office starting in June, 2007. Thanks for everything.

Vital Force Naturopathy
46 Pearl Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617.388.5126

Chocolate for Mother's Day

2007-05-08T15:30:00.000-04:00

A gift from and for the heart.

Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenol antioxidants – phytochemicals found naturally in the cocoa bean. The antioxidant properties have been demonstrated in numerous studies, both in the laboratory as well as in human trials.

Dark chocolate has also been shown to inhibit platelet reactivity, which may reduce the formation of clots.

The polyphenol’s antioxidant activity is related to the foods with which it is consumed. Dairy has been shown in the lab to decrease the antioxidant activity of polypehnols at the cellular level. This likely explains why the health benefits of chocolate are observed in dark chocolate and cocoa powder, while not in milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Dark chocolate is not a health food. It is a delicious delight with some beneficial health properties. The health benefits are greatest in chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa. It is not recommended to look to dark chocolate to supply your needed antioxidants, any more than it is recommended to look to red wine.

Dark chocolate is an indulgence to enjoy in moderation.

Share some with mom, she deserves it.

Basic Naturopathy

2007-05-04T11:48:00.000-04:00

The reasons why we want to be healthy are limitless. Naturopathic medicine answers how we can live, become, and maintain health.

Naturopathic medicine grows forth from two foundations, a science base and a philosophical base. The basic sciences mirror those of the conventional heroic practices such as allopathic and osteopathic medicine. Naturopathic Doctors are trained and licensed as primary care physicians with an emphasis in natural therapeutics and preventative medicine. (http://www.scnm.edu/admissions/degree.php)

The philosophy of Naturopathic medicine provides the distinction between this traditional form of healing and the newer conventional ideals. There are six underlying premises on which the philosophy is based:

· First Do No Harm - primum non nocere
· Support the Healing Power of Nature, “the Vital Force” - vis
medicatrix naturae
· Discover and Treat the Cause - tolle causam
· Treat the Whole Person - tolle totum
· The Physician is a Teacher – docere
· Prevention is the best "cure"

To embrace this philosophy, Naturopathic Doctors treat every patient as an individual and personalize the treatment accordingly using homeopathic, botanical, nutritional, physical medicine, life-style counseling, hydrotherapy, and much more. This patient-centered approach is uniquely refreshing. Naturopathic principles apply across both acute and chronic illness, for young and old, male and female alike.

Basic Men's Health

2007-05-01T11:36:00.000-04:00

To live and be healthy is generally simple. It is just not always easy. This is my attempt to share the straightforward things that can be done daily to have a pronounced impact in our life.

Nutrition
We are ultimately what we eat. Eat fresh and raw food in its most natural state. Build your meals and snacks around protein, vegetables, and fruits. In moderation enjoy whole grains, no more than 2 to 3 servings a day, and wheat should account for no more than one of the servings. Enjoy dairy moderately, it is acceptable to have low-fat dairy, as long as the fat is not replaced by sugar. Avoid processed and refined foods of all types at all times. Drink half of your weight in ounces of water daily. Limit or avoid completely all sweetened beverages.

Supplements
Strive for gaining your essential nutrients from the healthy foods that you choose. In addition, supplement your healthy and complete diet with a quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, a pharmaceutical grade fish oil providing at least 1000 mg each DHA and EPA daily, and an additional high quality B-complex. For an average male this should provide the necessary nutrients and co-factors to maintain optimal health.

Exercise
Exercise will require a daily effort. It is too easy today to live our lives in a recumbent position. For at least 30 minutes go out of your way to support a healthy body. The thirty minutes need not be consecutive. The most crucial component for this exercise recommendation is variation. During the week there needs to be at least 1 day addressing each of the following: strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility. Too often we support our body in only 1 of these areas. It is acceptable to combine areas in one workout.

Stress Management
Stress will be present at work, at home, in relationships, pretty much everywhere we go. We need healthy and effective outlets for our emotional stress. Creating a meditative ritual is crucial to releasing this stress in a healthy manner. Aggressive sports and recreation do not qualify as meditative and in many cases promote stress in our lives.

Health requires balance, structure, and discipline. This formula is not secret, it is the same key to success throughout life.

A few more remedies to have at home

2007-04-26T11:50:00.000-04:00

Other Important Homeopathic Remedies

Aconitum Napellus
The individual is beside herself, and frantic from the intensity of the pain. It is accompanied by intense fear. Pains are sticking, tearing, burning. Intense attacks of panic. Fears death and will often predict the time of impending death. Intense thirst during a fever.

Ignatia
Suffers from the effects of grief and worry. Mentally and physically exhausted by long concentrated grief. Sighing and sobbing. Can have incredible changes of mood, laughing to tears. The individual is worse with conversation and worse from consolation. May have the sensation of a lump stuck in the throat. Typically better when alone.

Phosphorus
Left sided complaints, or things are worse on the left side, or when lying on the left side. Bright red hemorrhages. Anxious and fearful. Thirst for very cold water, ice cold. Craves ice cream. Will have ravenous hunger during a fever. Things are often worse in the morning.

Sulphur
An affinity for the skin where it produces heat, burning, and itching. Often has burning on the soles of the feet causing individual to kick them out of the covers at night. Slow, lazy and hungry, especially before noon. Indifference to personal appearance. Cravings for fats, beer, whisky, and sweets. Worse with bathing and becoming too hot.

*synthesized from the Concordant Materia Medica, by Frans Vermeulen

Authentic Health

2007-04-13T10:56:00.000-04:00

Kenneth Proefrock, ND helped inspire this post during a Naturopathic philosophy talk he gave over 2 years ago at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. The topic of the talk was legitimacy vs authenticity in the healing profession. Dr. Proefrock was specifically addressing insurance coverage in regards to alternative health care. While insurance reimbursement provides an instant dose of legitimacy to a given physician's practice, at what cost is this legitimacy acquired. Dr. Proefrock asserted that often this legitimacy is derived at the expense of authenticity. Authenticity here is used to represent the intention of the physician or practice. To be authentic, the intention must be real, genuine, and veritable; while lacking a falsehood or misrepresentation. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/authentic) Dr. Proefrock considered the example of physicians misrepresenting their treatments in order to secure reimbursement for the patient. This may allow certain patients to receive treatments that would not otherwise be available; but this also creates in the case of ND's an illusion that the Naturopathic Doctor is providing services that are no different than their conventional colleagues. This is a disservice to the profession and the authenticity at the heart of Naturopathic philosophy.
I think as beings striving to attain our ultimate potential, where good health must be a vital component of the overall picture, it is crucial to evaluate the legitimacy and/or authenticity of our beliefs about our own health. Conventionally, health is believed to be obtained when the symptoms of dis-ease are under control. There is no further thought given to the vitality of the individual. If we accept this notion as indicative of health, then we need to look nowhere else than the conventional paradigm of medicine. But, if health represents more than a symptom free existence... if we strive for "a state of health (in which) the vital force reigns supreme and governs the physical body to reach the lofty goal of human existence.” Paragraph 9 The Organon of Medicine by Samuel Hahnemann. Then we must constantly evaluate the authenticity of the healing practices we embrace and the healers that walk with us on our journey.
The beauty of authentic health is that we can define it at every given moment for ourselves. What will it be for you today?

Allergy Remedies Continued

2007-04-12T15:32:00.000-04:00

Four more very common homeopathic allergy remedies.

Pulsatilla – Thick, profuse, yellow, bland discharges from the eyes, much better in open air. Lids will often become agglutinated. Eyes are typically itchy. Frequent sneezing with sore nostrils. Yellowish-green discharge from the nose, worse indoors and better in open air. Sinus congestion can often contribute to a frontal headache with a pale face. Nose can also be itchy. Typically thirstless with all complaints and wants to be uncovered.

Euphrasia – Profuse acrid lachrymation and bland nasal coryza. The eyes water all the time. Aversion to light. Most symptoms are worse during the night and in the morning. Symptoms are better in open air. Better with wiping the eyes.

Sabadilla – Eyelids red, burning. Lachrymation on going into open air accompanied by spasmodic sneezing and running nose. Persistent, violent sneezing and itching of the nose. Nose very dry. Nose sensitive to odors, like fresh flowers, etc.

Silicea – Painful dryness of eyes, may be worse in morning. Itching at tip of nose. Dry, hard crusts form in nose that bleed when loosened. Troublesome itching and feeling of dryness in the nose. Better from warmth.

*information synthesised from the Concordant Materia Medica, by Frans Vermeulen

Homeopathy Awareness Week - Allergy Remedies

2007-04-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

Here are 5 very common remedies and the allergic presentations that may indicate their use.

Natrum Muriaticum – Itchy eyes at the inner canthi, with lachrymation that is worse in the open air or wind. Thin and watery discharge from the nose, like raw egg whites. May have lots of sneezing. Loss of smell and taste. Cravings for salty foods and rich sweets. Typically worse with heat, especially of the sun.

Allium Cepia – Copious, acrid nasal discharge, irritating to the skin under the nose, and bland secretions from the eyes… Much better in open air. The nasal discharge is very profuse and watery, dripping from the tip of the nose. May have violent sneezing. Worse inside a warm room. Better with cool open air and bathing. Symptoms may have a tendency to present left sided.

Arsenicum – Burning hot lachrymation, with swelling around the eyes. Very sensitive to bright light and better with warm applications to the eyes. Nose may be stopped up or alternating with fluent coryza. The nasal discharge is thin and watery and excoriating, burning the skin below the nose. May be worse in open air and better indoors. Arsenicum characteristically has a burning sensation that is made better from warmth.

Gelsemium – Has a heavy, dull aching sensation of the entire head. Heavy eyelids, with red and watery eyes. Sneezing; thin, acrid coryza… sneezing early in the morning. Has a tendency to catch cold easily. Worse with humid weather. Better during urination.

Lycopodium - Dry, granular eyes and lids with photophobia. Inflammation of the eyes and itching in the canthi. With nasal coryza may have redness of the eyes and lachrymation. Even with the nasal discharge, there is a sensation of internal dryness. Discharge is often yellow. Better with warm drinks or foods.

* synthesised from the Concordant Materia Medica, by Frans Vermeulen

Homeopathic Arnica

2007-03-30T13:04:00.000-04:00

Arnica is an amazing homeopathic remedy that is exceptionally easy to use at home for acute, first aid conditions. I have used it repeatedly to address the frequent bumps and bruises that are an inevitable occurrence of being a child... or the parent of a child.
Arnica is indicated with almost any trauma injury that threatens to cause a bruise or swelling. The injured area is always worse with touch or pressure, and commonly presents with black and blue discoloration. It can also be used for muscle soreness from over exertion, for example lifting weights or shoveling snow, etc. Arnica works very well when used in conjunction with ice over the injury.
It is great for a bump on the head. The sooner you can get the Arnica in the child's mouth the better.
Arnica is available in most health food stores in a 6, 12, and 30 C (or X) potency. Any of those will do. I typically give 3 pellets every 15 minutes for 3 doses.

Land O'Lake Cheese

2007-03-25T12:40:00.000-04:00

I spend time at an assortment of the local and large chain heath food stores talking to the customers and checking out the new and old products on the shelves. Yesterday was my monthly outing to Cambridge Natural's in Porter Square. I thoroughly enjoy spending time at the store, and conversing with its owners, employees, and customers.
Yesterday morning, the first customer I spoke with shared a wealth of information with me regarding fluoride in our water supply, aliens landing at Roswell, and much more. Indeed this customer was an interesting character. The final information shared was the effectiveness of using a slice of Land O'Lakes Cheese topically on the affected joint for arthritic pain. Now I honestly can not say if this proposed treatment would offer any relief; and based on my medical school education I am not likely to recommend it to patients any time soon. But, it does provide a decent introductory into the subject of topical applications, or poultices.
I do want to repeat that I have no experience with topical cheese applications, well actually there was an incident in college involving a can of spray cheese that went drastically wrong. I don't remember any medical benefits from that disaster. But I can see how placing shredded carrots over a sore throat may sound just as strange as putting a slice of cheese over an inflamed joint. I can however assure you that the carrots have proven benefits.

CARROT POULTICE

MATERIALS

· One medium sized carrot
· Cotton cloth (12” x 12”) - handkerchief, cheesecloth, etc.
· Wool scarf
· Plastic wrap

PROCEDURE

Grate the carrot and place it on the center one third of the cotton cloth. Fold the cloth on either side over the grated carrot and apply a single thickness side to the front of the neck. Wrap the plastic wrap over the exposed cotton cloth and use the scarf to tie it in place around the neck as comfortably as possible. As a variation, you can put a wool sock over the plastic wrap and tie it in place with an old nylon. Leave on for 15 minutes to one hour or as directed. For a hot application, you can apply a hot water bottle over the poultice or submerge the poultice in a hot water bath and wring out thoroughly before applying.

INDICATIONS
Acne, General Skin conditions, Sore throat, especially in young children.

*Dr. Swanz takes is not responsible for any discoloration of clothing that results from this procedure.

A little space to grow...

2007-03-19T19:31:00.000-04:00

It sure seems crowded around here. Perhaps I feel this because I am quickly approaching my first full year as an urban dweller. But it is more than the close proximity I share with everyone in Boston, it is the overwhelming feeling of my own life crowding in on me. I imagine that others can relate to this feeling. We have work time crowding into our personal time. We have commercials crowding out our television viewing. Pop up adds crowd our web pages. I could go on and on. But what is significant as far as our health is concerned is the manner in which this crowding creates a chronic, maybe undetectable, claustrophobia that produces a formidable stress opposing our pursuits to grow and lead a healthy life.
Information rushes towards us daily, bulldozing through, minimizing our ability to absorb and process this wealth of stimulation. What is important? What is valid? Should I eat more protein? Should I eat more carbs? Organic or not organic? Vitamin E is good, or not so good? It all becomes overwhelming. Unfortunately, an all too often response to feeling overwhelmed, is to try and avoid the situation, to take no action at all. But this is no escape. Too many of us recognize that our health would benefit from a change, yet take no steps to make it happen. I think our fear from our past failures crowds the possibility of success. This is born of an all or nothing mentality. When the recognition comes that even the slightest change or shift in health can be beneficial, we can evaluate or efforts moment by moment instead of by an end result.
So first, take a step to the side and begin again. Create the space in your life to allow healing to happen. This is crucial. As a Naturopathic physician I worry that patients come to see me hoping that I can somehow heal their ills. This is a belief with roots in the conventional medical system, that somehow the "all knowing" doctor has the answer. This dynamic continues to erode at the conventional medical system right before our eyes. Fortunately, I can remind myself to step aside and create some space for the patient. Then their healing can begin.

The WHY

2007-03-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

I have been reading "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor E. Frankl. The book starts as a memoir of Frankl's experience as a prisoner during the Holocaust in a Nazi prison camp. It is an emotionally charged account of the near desperation that surrounded all those that had their basic freedoms ruthlessly stripped. Throughout the experience, somehow, Frankl manages to retain some shred of hope and humanity. This he attributes to the ability to retain the one freedom that can never be taken from an individual. That is the freedom to choose the perspective from which a situation is viewed. Maintaining this ability is enough to retain meaning in life, no matter how dire the circumstances. Frankl quotes Nietzsche, "He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How."
Like most things in life I read or encounter, I want to apply these life lessons to health and Naturopathy. I believe this last quote perfectly encompasses the mindset needed to begin that journey to health. It is the Why that is crucial. The Why, the reason, is what inspires. It is the meaning and the purpose, propelling one forward toward an ultimate goal. Why allows us to hang on, even when the obstacles seem to great.
Why do you want to be healthy? Is it for family, for quality of life, for more energy? It really doesn't matter to me, nor should it. It only matters to you. Find your Why, embrace your Why. The How will then work itself out.

Wheat, Wheat, What???

2007-03-04T16:46:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted for a few days. I've been working on my new web site. http://www.vitalforcenaturopathy.com/ , still a work in progress.
This topic may agitate a nerve with a large number of people. Wheat has become a staple of the SAD (standard American diet) and is often a primary ingredient in many of the common comfort and convenience foods. Wheat itself is not a bad food. More and more whole grain wheat products are replacing those with nutrient stripped enriched white flour. This overall is an excellent trend to support, and certainly not a problem.
It is the sheer volume of wheat consumed daily that is of concern. Typically individuals are eating cereal or bagels for breakfast, a sandwich of some sort for lunch, and for dinner pasta or pizza or some other food served with a side of rolls. I would consider three servings daily a lot, but the average person eats more than a half cup of cereal for breakfast, or more than two pieces of pizza, and certainly more than one dinner roll. It is more than the frequency, it is the serving size that is of concern.
Wheat is a common food allergen, along with soy, dairy, eggs, and corn. These allergens can often slide silently under the surface contributing to inflammation without visible signs for years. Unfortunately for some individuals, the effects are more noticeable: GI distress, allergies, eczema, joint pain, etc. But too often the connection between the symptom and the contributing agent is never explored.
With the proper help, these foods can be found and eliminated successfully. I personally only eat wheat on special occasions. Maybe a couple slices of pizza every few months. I miss the food a little. But I don't miss those 10 extra pounds of water weight, or the nagging soreness in my left knee and right shoulder that just would never go away... until the wheat did.

Four legs to a chair

2007-02-26T20:23:00.000-05:00

Health requires balance. Balance is the product of strength and stability. Strength results from practice and training. Stability comes from appropriately focusing our practice and training efforts. Balance and focus are vital to living a healthy existence.
The seat of a chair rests on four legs of equal length; so too our health depends on the stability of four pillars: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well being. Often individuals examine one of these pillars looking to improve health, while overlooking the other three. More often than not this single focus can actually potentiate the imbalance. There is no such thing as a single cause. Health is the sum of the totality of our being.
Becoming aware of the importance of our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well being is the first step towards understanding how to strengthen them completely. When we are aware, we can shift our focus appropriately to balance these aspects of ourselves to optimize our state of health. Then we can begin to rest comfortably with our entire being.

Simple in theory

2007-02-24T21:10:00.000-05:00

Most Naturopathic recommendations are simple... drink more water, eat more whole foods, exercise daily, get a good nights sleep, manage stress effectively, etc. The reality is that these simple recommendations are not always easy to actualize. This type of change requires discipline, structure, and foresight. It can feel restrictive, and on the surface it initially is. Ultimately the result of the structure and discipline is liberation. No longer a prisoner to ill health; no longer struggling through the day while depleted of nutrients and energy; we are free to reach a state of health where "the vital force reigns supreme and governs the physical body to reach the lofty goal of human existence" (paragraph 9, "The Organon of Medicine" by Samuel Hahnemann). This is a divine state in which to live and grow.
There is an overwhelming reluctance for most to embrace this change and freedom. The reluctance is born of fear. A fear that it is all too difficult, or that I am not worthy of this change. How can we succeed against societal and marketing pressure constantly promoting a lifestyle void of health, balance, and meaning? It is scary! Internal and external, conscious and subconscious, we have much to overcome.
It is vital to remember that while striving to heal and grow there can be no failure. It is a journey with triumphs and setbacks. The cumulative progress is always forward, moving us toward our goals. We need only to take the first step. Embrace the opportunity now, and welcome health into your life.

Docere - Physician as Teacher

2007-02-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

The word "Doctor" has its root in the Latin word "Docere"meaning teacher. Historically doctors have embraced this aspect of their profession. Spending time with patients, explaining the diagnosis, discussing treatment options, and just catching up, would all be part of a regular appointment.
Times certainly have changed. Now a visit to a typical doctor's office consists of a wait lasting longer than the actual appointment, face time with the doctor seldom lasting more than 15 minutes, and unfortunately because of the hurried appointment questions are often left unsaid. The result is a patient population feeling isolated, confused, and scared. The doctors, pressured by insurance quotas, are rushed and restricted. Ultimately, both sides are left longing for something more. Just a little more time, a little more listening, a little more understanding, could go a long way towards patients that are happy and hopeful about their health. And as a doctor, sleep comes easier when there is certainty each patient was given all the opportunity needed to ask questions, to have options explained.
Times have changed. But I have hope. I strive to be a different type of healer. Helping patients, empowering patients is not about me. It is not about my time. It is not about what I think is best. Teaching patients is about sharing knowledge and providing options. Then the doctor moves out of the way to let the healing take place. The healing happens on its own, with and through the patient. I am fortunate to be able to sit back and watch.

The Path...

2007-02-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

We go hiking, not to reach the end of the trail, but to enjoy the views, the challenge, the fresh air. It is not about the destination. The path is the key. Life and hence health is the same.

Life is a journey. Relationships are journeys.
Health is a journey. Health is a relationship.

Health springs forth from the relationships we nurture within ourselves. We cultivate relationships with our families, our friends, our food, our physique, our emotions, our spiritual practice, our addictions, our dreams, our diagnosis, and so much more. The challenge we will face over and over again is the stagnation that permeates our being when any of these relationships begin to become uncomfortable.
The quick solution is to do nothing. We may deceive ourselves into believing it is an attempt to embrace the stagnation. But this is merely a false acceptance. It is false because true acceptance acknowledges the discomfort for what it is... a hurdle along life's journey. Health is about our relationships, but it must be a continuous journey. If we are stagnant, we are dying. But if we are moving, we are growing. The growth itself so often is uncomfortable and challenging. We must face it all the same. We substantiate ourselves, our lives, our health, our worth through the courage displayed as we embody this challenge. This is inevitable. These events replay in various ways throughout our lives.
We always have the ability to continue to grow, to heal, to remain on the path, even right up to the moment of our last breath on this earth. It is not and should not always be easy, but our ability is always enough. We must remember that we always possess this ability, especially in the moments when it is easiest to forget. Health corresponds not to our life lived symptom free, but to our life experienced as we heal through the moments of dis-ease.
There are boundless directions in which we may pursue health. No one modality monoplizes the ultimate path. Most important is that we choose and perservere on a path that is right for us.

Happy Hiking

To heal or not to heal, that is the option

2007-02-10T16:37:00.000-05:00

"The physician's highest calling, his only calling, is to make sick people healthy - to heal, as it is termed." paragraph 1 from The Organon of Medicine by Samuel Hahnemann

What an incredibly brilliant and simple way to begin a book. Samuel Hahnemann in 1810 a.d. eloquently ignores the rhetoric that often surrounds those whom today consider their practice to be one of healing. When in all actuality, the majority of medicine today is palliative.

I am not ascertaining that palliation is negative. It is not necessary to apply a judgement to a word or practice. It is what it is. I personally believe that as a physician, the opportunity to facilitate the movement towards health in a patient is a gift and we have more to offer to the majority of patients than palliation.

Looking only to palliation views the patient's illness and symptoms as some problem beyond control. The way to survive is to exist independent of the problem. And to be independent one must fight, and the fight can be gruesome. It is the battle that is often waged with surgery and conventional pharmaceuticals. The battle proceeds indefinitely, while the patient is locked into a war which creates problems of its own.

A healing mindset embraces the illness and symptoms as they are without judgement. Any desired shift in health is a choice that is within our control. We grow and shift health as diplomats (Getting at the Root, by Andrew Lange N.D. p. 25), bringing balance and peace back to our life, accepting our existence as it is with every step along the way. Just recognizing the significance of the healing process is empowering and simultaneously liberating. Our health is not measured by an absence of symptoms, but by the presence of vitality.

Ultimately, the palliative or healing mindset is the choice of the patient, utilized in conjunction with the treatment options provided by their doctor. Naturopathy does not monopolize the ability to heal a patient any more than does herbal, chiropractic, allopathic medicine, etc. There is no such thing as a singularly healing or palliative treatment modality, just modalities that are used to palliate or to heal. In fact, intention and direction is vastly more important than the treatment method used.

Wet Socks - a must have hydrotherapy treatment

2007-02-09T13:07:00.000-05:00

This sounds much more difficult to implement than it actually is. Most people worry about sleep quality, but then report that their sleep actually improves with the wet socks. It is an old folk remedy, tested and true. It is great for colds, sinus infections, sore throats, ear infections, coughs, and much more. I have personally used it to support healing in the legs after a sprained ankle. I know first hand how effective the treatment can be for infections and when sick, I am often discouraged that I did not put the wet socks on a day earlier and potentially avoid the later symptoms of the infection. It is great for kids. Surprisingly, they typically don't complain about having cold wet socks put on their feet.

Supplies:
1 pair white cotton socks
1 pair thick wool socks - as close to 100% wool as you have

Directions:
1. Wet cotton socks and soak them completely with cold water. Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip. If you desire, place wet socks in the freezer for 3 to 5 minutes (do not freeze if using this treatment on children).
2. While cotton socks are chilling, warm your feet. This is very important to increase the efficacy of the treatment. Warming can be accomplished by soaking your feet in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes, massaging the feet vigorously, using a heating pad, etc.
3. Dry the feet off completely.
4. Place cold wet socks on feet. Cover with thick wool socks. Go directly to bed. Avoid getting chilled.
5. Keep the socks on overnight. The cotton socks should be dry in the morning.

This treatment works by forcing an increase in circulation down through the legs at night to dry the socks from the inside. The increased circulation supports drainage in the sinuses and throat at night while you sleep. Typically during the night our circulation throughout the body is very stagnant. Wet socks changes that normal dynamic. It works. Try it sooner than later.

Garlic Oxymel for Immune Support - medicine in the kitchen

2007-02-09T11:52:00.000-05:00

This is an easy at home recipe for a garlic oxymel. Ox´y`mel. A mixture of honey, water, vinegar, and plant, boiled to a syrup. This is great when used at the first signs of a cold or flu.

Needed:
At least 1 bulb of garlic
Local honey*
Apple Cider Vinegar
Water

Instructions:
Peel garlic cloves and cut in half.
Boil garlic in 4 cups of water until translucent.
Remove water from stove.
Add 1/4 cup of honey.
Add 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.
Mix well.
Drink 1/3 to 1/2 cup of warm liquid, two to three times a day, eating at least 2 cloves of the cooked garlic with each serving.
Oxymel may be kept covered in the refrigerator for 4 weeks.
*do not give honey to children under 1 year old.

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