November 2012
1 post
Healthy skepticism
The one skeptic I know, when approached with a viewpoint controversial to his own, jumps in with an inflammatory statement then disappears into the cyberworld. I’ve occasionally been targeted by other skeptics, but after talking with them for a minute (if they stick around that long) they often run out of pre-conceived arguments before I finish my points. I dislike skepticism because I see...
August 2012
1 post
Investing in Health
Caller: Do you take insurance?
Me: No. But…
Caller: Thanks anyways. I’ll find someone who does. *click*
Far too often I have this experience on the phone as well as in person. Unfortunately, New York State has, for nearly a decade, refused to pass a license for Naturopathic Physicians, so I don’t even have the option. But, I can still help people who have insurance and actually...
February 2012
1 post
1 tag
Why I unsubscribed from NaturalNews: The...
I have a major pet peeve: bad journalism. It irritates me more than anything when writers take real news and sensationalize it to get more readers. If it bleeds, it leads, right? When I used to write for Yelp more, I even reviewed the local news because it irked me so much. I don’t know why I have such a thing for exposing bad reporting; perhaps I was a reporter in my previous life.
I...
November 2011
5 posts
5 tags
Raw
I am a big promoter of eating locally grown, whole foods. It benefits our economy, which is pretty weak in the Western New York region. It benefits our environment, by limiting the amount of petroleum-based fuel used in transport. And, mostly, it benefits our health. Foods that are grown close to home can stay connected to the earth longer, reaping more nutrients and minerals from it.
If we are...
4 tags
Antibiotics
Your body is made up of 10 trillion cells and 1-2 trillion are human. That means that 8-9 trillion are microbial and that most of you isn’t you! These “germs” act symbiotically, they keep our body strong and healthy. With fewer numbers (we’ll NEVER be germ free) bad things begin to happen, particularly to our immune system.
Without beneficial bacteria in our intestines,...
8 tags
Soy
Soy is a subsidized crop, which means that farmers have a financial interest in growing soy over other crops such as fruits and vegetables. And companies like Monsanto, a company that owns almost all of the seed companies, have a financial interest in selling genetically modified soy beans to these farmers. What does all of that mean? We have an overabundance of genetically modified soybeans and...
5 tags
Flax Oil
Did you know that flax oil is not therapeutically equivalent to fish oil? Here’s why: We can’t make Omega-3 oils, so we must consume them and fish oil contains EPA and DHA which are direct precursors to the eicosanoid molecule Prostaglandin E3 which decreases clotting, inflammation, cellular permeability, triglycerides and raises HDL.
On this biochemical path, alpha-linolenic acid...
EPA/DHA also known as Fish Oils
Typically when we talk about EPA and DHA or essential fatty acids, we refer to them as fish oil. But what about vegans and vegetarians? I know of some companies that are making EPA and DHA from algae. Whew! Problem solved.
EPA and DHA are two molecules at the end of the eicosanoid pathway that lead to Prostaglandin E3 which is inflammatory modulating, clot preventative, triglyceride reducing...
August 2011
1 post
5 tags
I woke up at 2 AM
I used to be the best sleeper. Then I had a baby and now my circadian rhythm seems to do jumping jacks throughout the day instead of the nice downward curve from morning ‘til night.
So now it’s 5:45 AM and I’m still not tired.
Which got me thinking about the Chinese Qi Time Flow.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), time is divided into two-hour blocks, each of which...
January 2011
1 post
3 tags
My travel mug
http://www.thermosonline.com/products/CSS1010.htm
I’m frequently asked about my favorite products and this is one I have to share. My travel mug. I’ve had it for at least three years, maybe longer. I’ve dropped it a gajillion times, left it in both the frigid cold and blazing heat, and have probably abused it in other ways I cannot think of at the moment. But it’s...
December 2010
1 post
10 tags
Probiotics
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in your intestine. Our fear of bacteria is unnecessary because we are surrounded by these microorganisms and they live all over our body. And we need them. Throughout the lifetime of humanity, we have developed a symbiotic relationship with these little guys.
Probiotics live inside our intestines, or at least they should. The problem is that we...
August 2010
2 posts
6 tags
Urgent: your help is needed by 8/23
Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine are doctors trained at a four-year, post-graduate school designed to educate Naturopathic Physicians. But in New York State, we are not licensed as physicians. Our schools are accredited by the US Department of Education through the Council of Naturopathic Medical Education and through the regional accrediting agencies that accredit other schools of medicine.
...
11 tags
Don't fear fat
We are a society that is afraid of fat, yet there are many signs that we are fat-deficient. The supermarket shelves are packed with products that tout the terms low-fat or fat-free as if it is a good thing, but it is not. Essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins have been on our radar for the last 30 years, yet we can’t seem to get off this low-fat kick.
Eating good fat and oils does...
July 2010
5 posts
7 tags
Wheat sensitivity and Celiac's disease
Almost every day I meet people who have either have Celiac disease or a wheat sensitivity. It is important to understand the difference between the two, when to suspect that you may have one of these conditions, and how to eliminate wheat from your diet in a society that eats so much of it.
Celiac Disease is a lifelong intolerance to gluten, which are proteins found in wheat, rye, and...
11 tags
Chamomile
I love botanical medicine and am constantly amazed at the wonderful complexity of individual plants. Lately, my favorite herb is the very common chamomile. My first real introduction to chamomile was seeing large bags of dried, tiny, daisy-like flowers in the Mexican herbs section of the store while I lived in Arizona. I wondered then what the use of this flower was, and am still excited to...
5 tags
Miso - the benefits of fermented soy
Everyone has heard that soy is good for you, but not everyone realizes how much soy they consume regularly and the proper form to consume it in. In cultures where soy has been consumed, it is mostly fermented soy, such as miso, tempeh and natto, and is often in conjunction with sea vegetables.
The fermentation of soy is important because unfermented soy inhibits trypsin, a digestive enzyme. ...
14 tags
Cosmetics
There is a new video link that has been circulating around on various websites and blogs in the past week called The Story of Cosmetics. I highly encourage everyone to set aside a few minutes to watch it.
For those of you who are familiar with healthier living, nothing that is said in the video is new. But it breaks it down and simplifies it very well for those of you who may not realize...
Henna
I’m currently sitting here with a pile of mud on my head that’s wrapped in plastic. It is not glamourous, it is not convenient, but it is 100% safe which is why I do it.
I have been a longtime user of henna as a hair-coloring treatment, so I do not know if I am an expert, but I have definitely experienced many aspects of this plant based hair treatment.
What I love about henna:
...
