Radio Naturopath Episode 463: Chia Seeds for Health, Help for Fall Allergies

This week, I talked about fall allergies, since lots of people have them right now! Mold and mildew from damp homes and plants dying back. Dust mites are prevalent especially now that we're moving indoors, but we'll get a break when there's a hard freeze. Pets can be problematic too! And there's still some ragweed outdoors. Here's some tips to help with the season! We also talked about chia seeds, and included a recipe on how to make chia pudding. Turns out they're amazing little powerhouses!

Radio Naturopath Episode 442: Muscle Repair, Hypertension, Respiratory Allergies

This week, we found that Ron is plugging along and had a not-so-good day because yesterday he dared to work in the yard. His poor muscles just don't want to be disturbed! We are hoping that this will just take time and he'll be back to his favorite activities soon. As for me, my tremors have been quiet, and I'm hoping that's in part due to the low dose lithium orotate, and that the herbs are working to clear any remnants of tick borne illness! However, I have to face that I have hereditary hypertension. All the supplements and stress-reducing activities are just not working to get my blood pressure into a safe zone. So, I'm going to try a low dose of an angiotensin receptor blocker. My mom and sister are both on blood pressure meds and they work well for them. My mom is also on an ARB but my sister is on a pair of diurectics. I am taking an ARB because they are safer for athletes, in that they don't dehydrate you nor reduce your cardiac output. More about hypertension next week!

It's SPRING, and that means beautiful flowers, trees, and POLLEN! So we did a nice review of what to do for your respiratory allergies. Neti pots, supplements, nasal sprays, foods, we've got it all! 

Radio Naturopath Episode 410: Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Supplements

This week I gave more updates on my disc, how PT went, and my return of dysautonomia symptoms, which we think might be Lyme disease. We're going through steps to help with that. Then we talked more about inflammation: great supplements and herbs that can help, and there are a lot of them! From curcumin to rosemary to holy basil to ashwagandha, we've got them all!

Radio Naturopath Episode 355: Why You Sleep Too Much, All About Bursitis

We had a question about hypersomnia, that is, when you consistently sleep in excess of 9 hours, and you're still tired. Many conditions cause this, from sleep apnea to hypothyroid to nutrient deficiencies. We tackle them all! Then, we talked in depth about bursitis, a condition that affects nearly 9 million people in the USA. It's the inflammation of the tissues of the sacs surrounding joints. It's treatable but it takes some care!

Radio Naturopath Episode 346: How to Digest Your Beans and Veggies; Low FODMAPs

Since it's spring and we're all trying to eat a little healthier and get more produce in, I talked about how to make it easier to do that. Not everyone digests beans and vegetables well, but there may be some things you can do short of not eating them at all! We talk about easing into it, soaking, slow-cooking, and sprouting beans, and which foods to avoid or eat if you have trouble with FODMAPs, fermentable carbohydrates. Hopefully this advice will help people to eat their fruits and veggies more!

Radio Naturopath Episode 336: Supplement Timing, Red Wine, Food and LDL, QiGong, Natural Feminine Products

Today I had a question about the timing of supplements. We talked about how there are certain ones that are taken at certain times for specific purposes, but I don't like to be too strict about that because it affects compliance. I also talked about red wine and cholesterol; it definitely helps but not necessary for everyone to drink, and there are non-alcoholic foods and beverages that can also help to lower LDL. And don't forget cardio exercise! I've become a big QiGong fan and have been finding it very healing, helpful, and stress-reducing, so I talked all about it. And I advised women, especially those that have menstrual spotting between periods, to consider using unbleached sanitary supplies, or even reusable menstrual cups, that bleached supplies can contain dioxins and other chemicals that can affect menses!

Radio Naturopath Episode 269: Atherosclerosis in the Aorta, Hip Bursitis

This week on Radio Naturopath I responded to two questions from listeners. The first was about reducing atherosclerotic plaque in the aorta: so the whole thing about reducing oxidative stress, eating less sugar and processed foods, drinking less alcohol, getting exercising, eating healthy fats and avoiding poor quality ones. 

I also talked about hip bursitis: what it is, how it's generally treated, and how to feel better. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 231: Ron's Bout of Gastroenteritis and Hernia Repair, and How to Help

Ron had quite an ordeal! He got acute gastroenteritis while working at an event in the Berkshires, and wound up spending time in the local hospital for hydration. Then he went home, and after a few days of nothing staying down, went to Windham Hospital where they found a hernia and intestinal blockage. Time for emergency repair! He had that on Friday, 10/4 good buddy, and had to stay in the hospital until everything was working again the following Thursday, Meanwhile, I was in Florida until 10/6, and when I returned I had to scour the house of possible Norovirus, the most common and very virulent cause of gastroenteritis! Ron is well on the mend and all's well that ends well. I talked about the clinical aspects of Ron's adventure, how to prevent and treat gastroenteritis, and some things to do after surgery.

Radio Naturopath Episode 207: Alternative Medicine and Thinking Beyond Opioids

On March 6, 2019, I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at Eastern Connecticut State University called A Wellness Approach to Pain: Thinking Beyond Opioids. I talked about some statistics on opioid use and abuse in the US. I mentioned how naturopathic principles can help with chronic pain. Then I talked about how NSAIDS and acetaminophen are actually more effective than opioids, although problematic. I talked about the effectiveness of physical medicine, like acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic, and how those things are not readily accessible due to doctor and patient attitude, poor insurance coverage, and high cost. I talked about how certain supplements, stress reduction, and diet change can all help with chronic pain. And I presented that if people in general had easy, regular, affordable access to physical medicine, it would go a long way to reversing the opioid crisis.

Radio Naturopath Episode 201: New Blood Test for Alzheimer's Plus Natural Treatments; Get Rid Of That 4 Week Cough and Cold

I was inspired today by none other than Maria Shriver on the Today Show, who talked about a new blood test for Alzheimer's disease. She didn't go into as much detail as the article I found, so when I looked it up I found that it's the NFL test. Very appropriate for the upcoming sporting events! But it stands for NeuroFilament Light chains. I went to look in Quest Diagnostics where I order my labs, and it's not offered there. There's definitely a couple of companies that do it but I don't know if I have access to them. Quanterix does it but I don't know who has access to it. Anyway, it's a breakdown product of neuronal tissue. The more you have, the more likely you are to have brain neurodegeneration! If you have the genetic, early onset Alzheimer's, your levels will rise over time. If you have the non-genetic, they'll stay about the same. There are natural ways to head off the development of Alzheimer's, so I went through a bunch of them. One of them is EAT YOUR COCONUT OIL. It makes you smart!

Also, so many people have that cold or cough that just won't go away, so I gave out advice to help with that. Eucalyptus! Echinacea and goldenseal! Vitamins A, C, E, Zinc! Thin your mucus with guaifenesin, NAC, and bromelain!