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A Way to Save on Your Health Costs: an Health Savings Account

DrAlishaND

Do you pay a lot for out of pocket expenses? There are many various expenses, it can be co-pays, or visits to non-covered medical services, like your Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, or Acupuncturist? For some it can also mean the costs of first-aid items.

Well you may benefit from having an HSA. Not everyone can take advantage of this tax-free plan. Every year there are likely changing numbers to qualify who is eligible.

Currently, as of Fall 2017 you can qualify if you are an individual/family, with a PPO, and a high-deductible health plan, who is not a dependent, or on Medicare. A high-deductible health plans means, a minimal annual of $1300 for individual or $2600 for a family, with a max out-of pocket of $6550 or $13,100 respectively .

There are actually many things you can use your HSA for; including vision, dental, therapy, service animals, lodging, meals, and much more!

Personally, I think this is a great option, for the person who doesn’t go to the doctor often, is into wellness care v.s. disease care and those who are self-employed to help save them on their insurance premiums.  

One of my favorite things about the HSA, is it really does act like a savings account, where you can always access these funds, even if you are no longer contributing, and it can roll over into an investment account, like an IRA.

Discuss your personal health care needs with your insurance agent, ideally prior, or during open enrollment (Nov 1-Dec 15), so you both can make a decision of what is right for you.

For more information: visit IRS

Photo Credit: https://www.westernhealth.com

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Toxins-A few tips on how to avoid them

DrAlishaND

Toxic exposure has increased dramatically in America, as have rates of disease. Environmental exposure of toxins can happen via air pollution, food and water contamination or through household products used for cleaning/purifying or personal care products.  It is estimated that between 80,000 and 85,000 chemicals are in use in the environment in the United States, yet only about 200 of these chemicals have been tested for safety.

While toxins are all around us, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics indicates that women use an average of nine personal care products each day, exposing themselves to a mixture of over 100 individual chemicals. These products can include things like: soap, facial products, make up, deodorant, lotion, perfume, toothpaste, dental exposures, etc. Now thinking outside of things we put on our body, what are we putting in that exposes us to toxins; food that has been made from GMO, soy, processed foods, sugar, hydrogenated oil, food with pesticides, foods with antibiotics and hormones, food made in microwaves or Teflon cookware. Our home or work environment can expose us to more-air fresheners, cleaning supplies, paints, plastics found everywhere-rain coats, children’s toys, bags, garden houses, containers, vinyl flooring and more!

These lists are just for examples and there are many more; as you can see there is an exhausting supply that we combat on a day to day experience. Various toxins can have different effects in the body such as: headaches, dizziness, respiratory symptoms, infertility, hormonal imbalance, liver, kidney and heart disease, neurological problems, and even cause cancer. You can control what you put in and on your body. Decrease your exposure by taking these steps:

Environment at home

    • Take off shoes as to not bring toxins in
    • Use natural cleaners
    • Use “Low or Zero VOC” (Volatile Organic Compounds-which emit gas and go into our air) paint, air-fresheners, carpet, and furniture( pressed board/wood etc).
      • If buying new furniture let it “off gas” into garage for a few days prior to bringing into your home; consider this with dry cleaning clothes.
      • Use GreenGuard.Org to find low emissions of VOC’s furniture

Food

  • Eat organic, review the 12 crops with the most pesticides (“Dirty Dozen”) and specifically buy these organic if limited on resources. Refer to the “Clean 15” that can be purchased non-organic. See EWG.org
  • Eat low mercury fish
  • Avoid plastics-drinking/storing/heating with
    • Phthalates are used to make plastics softer or more flexible. PVC’s-polyvinyl chloride; avoid these by not using containers with the codes 3 and 7; and using natural fibers. Phthalates are also found in dairy, meat and pesticides they have been linked to birth defects and disrupt our endocrine system.
  • Drink filtered water (consider a whole house filter or shower filter to avoid all chlorine/chloroform. Can also use a low-flow shower head,ventilate while showering, shower in cooler water.

Personal Care/Medical products

  • Avoid antiperspirant-aluminum is a heavy metal found here
  • Use natural deodorants
  • Use natural based soaps, facial products and make up

Remember this is a start to living toxin free, other toxins do exist too; radiation from hair dryers, computers, cell phones; and even our emotions and negativity can create toxic effects in our body!

http://www.diagnose-me.com/symptoms-of/heavy-metal-toxicity.html

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/health-hazards-to-know-about/daily-toxin-intake

Articles

Minding the Month: Knowing The Calendar of of “Health Awareness”

DrAlishaND

Did you know each month there is are usually not just one but several associations and organizations that try to educate the public on an array of health concerns? April is an awareness month for 13 health concerns, it also holds weekly awareness for another 3 health issues, and 4 days to specifically raise awareness for yet another set of medical problems, some of which overlap with the monthly awareness. Each month is similar, differing in health observances.

Amongst the monthly efforts for April is “Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness”, also referred to as IBS. A topic that is somewhat taboo to talk about is our bowel habits, or going number two as some refer to it. However, 10-15% of the U.S. population suffers from this condition, which is disorder, “characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, and altered bowel habit (chronic or recurrent diarrhea, constipation, or both – either mixed or in alternation).” It is important to exclude any other causes of these problems with your doctor.

Ideally for good health we should be having a bowel movement that is not painful, or difficult, at least 1x/day, perhaps even up to 3, after your main meals. These should be well formed and brown in color. If you are going days without having a bowel movement, the toxins that are waiting to leave your body are built up and can lead to increased chance of colon cancer.

Constipation can be avoided, consider these 3 simple steps:

1. Make sure you are getting enough water. Imagine a pipe that represents your intestines and if the line is dry so to say, nothing in it will move. Ideally we should all get at least 64 ounces or more depending on your weight. Often if you weigh more, you should aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces. Example 200 lbs person, needs to drink 100 ounces of pure water.
2. Vitamin C isn’t just for your immune system, it also has many other health benefits, including aiding the bowels. Taking 2000mg along with 200mg magnesium per day can aid in elimination.
3. Be friends with fiber! Fruits and vegetables such as brocolli, cauliflower, spinach, and zuccini are rich in fiber. There are also fiber supplements that may be beneficial.

“The road to good health is paved with good intestines!” (Dr. Steven Sandberg-Lewis)

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The Balance in Your Body: Finding the meaning of dis-ease

DrAlishaND

Here is goes another health article, but this one isn’t a checklist of do’s and don’ts to prevent something. This article is targeted at what to do, when you have done everything you could: you ate your protein and veggies, consumed the proper amount of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces), breathed deeply, ate fruit and nuts as snacks, avoided sugar, drugs and alcohol, all three of which are equally addictive. On top of this you took your Vitamin D, fish oil, and antioxidants, along with a daily dose of physical activity!

Now what? You sound unstoppable with this laundry list of activities that are supposed to paint the picture of good health. What happens when all this fails? What do you do when you find yourself dealing with something you were trying to prevent, from the common cold, other infection, diabetes, cancer, or some other malady?

Why is often a question we ask ourselves when something in life doesn’t go the way we wanted. Why do bad things, like sickness, health challenges, or dis-ease happen to good people? Why, is because there are some things that are beyond us, one of which is our health. “The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

When you are faced with a ill-health, find your centeredness. Our health is an interplay of forces, seen and unseen. Go within yourself and find serenity as you surrender to something bigger then your efforts and their effects. Look for the meaning, what can you gain or grow from, if your health can be a learning lesson? If you have trouble coming up with something on your own, try this for entertainment, and of course, don’t take this or anything else too seriously, for the spiritual meaning underlying diseases, take a look at http://www.squidoo.com/spiritualmeaning.

Usually, I encourage people that health is in their own hands, of which I think is nearly ninety percent true, the other piece of it, we need to reconcile with, so at the end of each day, you are balanced with in yourself, you’ve done all you can do, and sometimes you just need to remember to relax and stop doing, and be a human-being.

Be Well and Be in Balance to your best ability!

Articles

Diabetes 3 Tips to Dodge This Disease

DrAlishaND

20 million Americans are living with Diabetes and over 40 million have pre-diabetes, thus making this disease almost like an epidemic. This disease is caused by high blood sugar levels. There are a few different types of diabetes, and it can come into someone’s life at any time, and may or not be reflective of their diet. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas in the body that helps the take glucose (sugar) into the liver to store, or be used by cells. Some people are dependant on a insulin prescription because their body has stopped producing it. Aside from Type I diabetes, where the pancreas fails, we each have control of regulating our blood sugar levels, and can get them tested to see how our body is functioning.

Here are a few ways to keep your blood sugar levels in check:

1. Protein-Eat things like eggs, chicken sausage, turkey bacon, or whey protein in the morning to “break-the-fast” from the night. Protein helps keep blood sugar levels more stable, unlike starches which spike and then decline, and leave you wanting more when glucose drops. Calculate your bodies needs with this handy tool http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp?Submit=Close

2. Don’t Skip-Many people go without breakfast, lunch and catch up at night, or perhaps don’t snack. It is important to eat small frequent meals to keep your bodies metabolism in a working state. Often people have weight gain, because they are actually starving their body, which responds by storing fat, as a mechanism of survival. The more often you eat, the more you are “using” your metabolism and thus won’t “lose” it with weight gain, which puts you at risk.

3. Exercise-Daily ideally, or at least a few good workouts a week will make your body become more efficient at making insulin. Decreasing body fat also allows for greater use of insulin, known as “sensitivity”. Combining cardiovascular and weight training, when approved by your doctor, can give you many more benefits too. Many people argue that they don’t have time to exercise, well think of this, a cartoon from Randy Glasbergen, “What fits in your schedule better, exercising one hour per day, or being dead 24 hours per day?” (see cartoon at http://www.glasbergen.com/?s=dead+24+hours)

Good health is a function of healthy diet and lifestyle, and both of these things are controlled by you!

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Heart Health 4 Plus Habits to Cultivate

DrAlishaND

The heart in the human body functionally serves as a circulation pump with an electrical impulses, using sodium, potassium, and calcium contracting the muscle and sending blood, oxygen and vital nutrients all through out the body. Heart disease is a huge problem in America, being the number one killer, with an approaching 600,000 people dying each year.

Heart disease encompasses multiple afflictions and diagnoses, such as congestive heart failure, congenital heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and coronary heart disease. Many health problems, like heart disease, can be avoided with diet and lifestyle. However, there is another component to good health, beyond the well known basics. Imagine a triangle, and in one form of medicine, Applied Kinesiology, there is what is referred to as the “Triad of Health”. The foundation of this triangle is on the “structure” of the body, with the sides comprised of “chemical and mental”. It is is the realm of the “mental or emotional” category that can be a largely overlooked component of heart disease.

Cardiologist Dr. Mimi Guarneri highlights all the hearts different aspects in her book, The Heart Speaks.

Do these 4 things regularly for a healthier and happier heart and life.

1. Let Go! Emotions can be overwhelming, and may get bottled up. What happens when pressure adds? You will get an EXPLOSION if you don’t express your feelings! Don’t go there, by daily trying to release the hardships you endured. Talking or journaling can be an outlet, or exercise. Find something that works for you. Consider Emotional Freedom Technique, or otherwise known as tapping, which is a quick and easy tool that has profound effects.

2. Follow your passion! Do you feel a sense of fulfillment in your life? What gets you “lit up”? Doing what you love is like spiritual food for your heart. Either in your work life or outside of that, connect with an activity that you enjoy regularly. If you love to dance, and its been a while, turn up the music at home on an evening after work. Don’t put off the simple pleasures that put a simile on your face.

3. Forgive and stop worrying! We all experience feelings of resentment at one point or another, to others or even ourselves. Holding on to this is toxic. We just have this moment to live, and often we are either in past or future. Realize that each person in any given moment is doing the best they can, and if you’ve been hurt, don’t keep on hurting yourself with reliving that situation for the past. Talk with a professional or trusted friend to help you through life’s challenges.

4. Do the basics! It is the basic lifestyle habits that create a compound effect that will lead you to health or away from it. Don’t use tobacco, eat plenty of vegetables, eat fruit for dessert, and exercise.

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Cut Your Cancer Risk with 3 Character Traits

DrAlishaND

The CDC came out with a report relinquishing statistics that the US population falls short with cancer screening. Much of the report is discussing women’s cancers such as cancer and breast, and colon cancer which affects men as well. To give you an example, “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2010, 72.4 percent of American women were screened for breast cancer, and 83 percent of American women were screened for cervical cancer. These screening rates are below the national targets of 81 percent and 93 percent, respectively.”

Recall the top 10 killers for Americans, heart disease ranks #1 as of 2009 statistics, and cancer coming in next, with 567,628 deaths per year, with an overall death rate of  793.8 deaths per 100,000 population. Take this knowledge for empowerment, you don’t have to be a statistic. When is comes to disease, “genetics loads the gun, with diet and lifestyle pulling the trigger,” as said by Dr. Chris Meletis.

Here are 3 simple, not easy, ways to embrace a healthier lifestyle to cut your cancer risk:

1. Be Tobacco Free: Have you been to a Body Worlds exhibit or some other experience where you got to view the lungs of a smoker? Or do you know that tobacco use contributes to 1/3rd of all cancer deaths, or that “a single cigarette contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 200 known poisons and more than 60 carcinogens.” If you or a loved one, are still using, reach out for help to quit. www.smokefree.gov

2. Eat Fruits and Veggies: The record player is broken, have you noticed? Yes, amazingly this is still the answer to so many problems! So basic, yet so hard to make a change at times. Try a cooking class or get a some new recipes to inspire you to make healthy and tasty meals at home. Your plate should be half vegetables, one quarter protein, and one quarter grains (preferably gluten free according to many holistic doctors) according to the new USDA guidelines.
3. Stop Stressing: Stress will make you not only unhappy, overweight, but ultimately lead to your death through heart disease,cancer, or some other illness. Your stress could be manifesting as neck tension, IBS, panic attacks, or other health condition. Consider reading a book, joining a group, or other exploration of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

Today, can be the start of a new beginning, leading you down a path of better health. Change starts with you, wanting a long, healthy, and happy life!

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.”  ~Ellen Glasgow

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Festivities and Fun 3 Affects on Your Health

DrAlishaND

It is the time of year when we are gathering with friends and family for different festivities intended to be full of fun, however they sometimes lead us to stress simultaneously. Stress is different for each person, but for everyone it can wreak havoc on your body, perceivable or not. It is difficult to define for this reason. Cortisol is a stress hormone secreted by your adrenal glands that sit on top of your kidneys and is responsible for a myriad of functions in your body. This can work for you or also against you, if not properly regulated. The effects of stress can be vast, 50 common signs and symptoms have been attributed to it and listed on http://www.stress.org/topic-effects.htm.

Here are 3 things to take into account as you frolic:

1. You become who you are around: Are you spending time with people who are in good or poor health? Do they take care of themselves, such as eat healthy and exercise? There is a saying out there that you become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Take a few minutes to ponder this and write down what you want to become and who in your circle of influence has those attributes that you can emulate.

2. Family Fitness: Turn the flab into firm with family or friends by doing a jog before a big feast. Or, get a glow going in any form of fitness that the group enjoys, perhaps even dancing to holiday music. Have you heard that saying that a family that plays together stays together? Now more than ever is this important as obesity rates are on the rise and having a greater impact in children and adolescents with 17% of the U.S. being in this category.

3. Charm and Chuckle: Being charming, is not just for princes! When we compliment or give other gifts in emotional or material form, like doing a “good deed”, we in turn receive in countless ways in our mind, body, and spirit. Tell your mom, sister, cousin or wife that she is beautiful, or conversely for the males that they are handsome. Being light hearted (less stress) can lead to better heart health, and heart disease is still the number one killer in the U.S., so we all need to protect our hearts. Last, but not least, put in a good movie, or tell some jokes for some laughter, as it is still referred to as the best medicine.

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Immune Health 5 ways to boost

DrAlishaND

Your immune system is located throughout your entire body, much of it is in your “gut” as a part of the GALT (Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue). One could say that “the road to good health is paved to good intestines” as Naturopathic doctors often teach. Thus your good digestion is very important in keeping a good immune system.

The lymphoid tissue is the home of lymphocytes which protect your body from pathogens, like bacteria and viruses. This lymphatic system is similar to the circulation system, but it doesn’t have a pump, like the heart in the circulation system, it gets moved with muscle motion.

Think of it like a sewer system, collecting the garbage, and your physical activity takes it out. Here are a few things to keep in mind for a healthy and robust immune system:

1. Exercise: Even if it is just daily walking for 30 minutes, this gets the lymph moving and studies show that it increases leukocytes (white blood cells) which fight infection. Exercise provides even more than that, a thinner waistline or less fat cells which lead to less inflammation and thus healthier tissues. Daily movement is also great for mood too!

2. Probiotics: Opposite of antibiotic, a probiotic helps restore healthy gut “flora” or bacteria. We need these bacteria to be in balance to help assimilate our food and have a healthy digestion. This can be especially helpful after or coinciding with a course of antibiotics that will kill everything, consult with a holistic doctor to take properly.

3. Rest and Relax: If you don’t give your body a chance to recover from all the hard work you do, it gets run down and can’t put up the fight to the bad bacteria. Interestingly mediation can be an immune booster, “In one experiment, people who meditated over an 8-week period produced more antibodies to a flu vaccine than people who didn’t meditate. And they still showed an increased immune system response four months later.”

4. Hydrate: Recall that sewer system analogy, well water will move out those toxins that get built up so that your systems can run smoothly, like a clear and flowing wellspring. As a general rule, most people, provided they are in good health, without any heart or kidney problems, should drink approximately half their body weight in ounces. For example the 150 pound person would drink 75 ounces of water per day, which may include herbal, decaffeinated tea. Caffeine will take away water, so if you do drink caffeine, more water is needed to replace what was lost. Coconut water provides many electrolytes and is great to use to rehydrate.

5. Laugh: You’ve heard it and it is still true! Laughter is the best medicine! Comedy provides similar effects to our immune system as mediation, we see an increase in white blood cells and decrease in stress hormones which can negatively impact our immune system if elevated. Turn on You Tube for a few minutes of chuckles every now and then to keep in good spirits.

If you try all the above and still find yourself with a slight sickness, not to worry, getting sick once a year is like a workout for your immune system, giving it a chance to get out and fight.

Cheers to your good health!

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In The Spirit of Giving 5 Gifts of Health

DrAlishaND

Have you heard the saying “if you don’t have health, you don’t have anything?” Well, it is true! If you are too sick, you won’t be able to enjoy your free time, family, friends, or your finances. Americans are very giving, to their work, their family, philanthropy,etc, but there comes a point, when this giving can become an excess and create imbalances, in that they don’t have anything left for themselves!

Take the airplane scenario, in the event that the cabin pressure changes what are you to do? Put on your oxygen mask, and then help others with theirs. Lets repeat this, take care of your self first! Why not apply this philosophy prior to the emergency moment, and take this as a way of life. The more you give to yourself and meet your bodies needs (air, water, food, movement), the more you can help and give to others.

The holidays are time of giving, and here a few gift ideas to give better health, which will give back in so many ways.

5 Gifts of Health to Experience:

1. Massage: Research shows that many illness have some correlation to stress, and healing hands can help melt that away!


2. Soak in Hot Springs: This special type of water that is found at some resorts or other nature places and provides some muscle relief and can be helpful for some skin disorders.


3. Fitness: Find out what type of activities the person likes, a kick boxing class, Zumba, yoga, etc and buy a one month package for them. Check out The Presidents Challenge to learn more about different types of fitness http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/


4. Check up: Has your loved one been to the doctor or dentist this year? Perhaps many people can chip in and make this happen. Regular check ups are crucial for good health care and prevention. Don’t forget a vision check up too! For those without health insurance look into alternatives such as health co-ops.


5. Free Time: A most precious commodity, time always seems to be filled with “to do’s” that can wear us down. Offering to help some one with something on this list, or watch children for them so that they can have some time for themselves can provide them with a renewed sense of accomplishment or well-being of alone time.

Remember just as you give to others, give to yourself; mind, body, and spirit are always in need of care from you!

Articles

4 Basics for Back Health

DrAlishaND

You’ve may of heard this line before, but once again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! This same philosophy is well applied when it comes to injury in the musculoskeletal system. Many back injuries occur on the job, and most often for health care workers. Although, improper ergonomics and lifting can also occur outside the work place. Back pain can be purely physical, although in the realm of mind/body medicine, back pain may be symbolic of not feeling supported. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Do back strengthening and stretching exercises at least 2 or 3 times a week.
  • Sit and stand up straight.
  • Avoid heavy lifting. If you do lift something heavy, bend your legs and keep your back straight.
  • If you are overweight, lose weight to help lower the strain on your back.


Back pain could be beyond a basic strain, especially if it persists, worsens, or is associated with other symptoms. Here’s a few tips to know when you need to see a doctor:

  • Numbness or tingling
  • Severe pain that does not improve with rest
  • Pain after a fall or an injury
  • Trouble urinating
  • Weakness
  • Numbness in your legs
  • Fever
  • Weight loss when not on a diet


Keeping a strong back will give you strength and support in other aspects of your life. Remember take care of your body, and it will take care of you!

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Sex The Safe Way- 3 Things to Talk About

DrAlishaND

Society still may have some taboos regarding talking about sex, but sexual health is an important aspect of wellness and needs to be discussed. Science shows that the female brain gets activated in multiple areas during orgasm# and further there are numerous health benefits from heart health to increased immunity. However, more importantly before one looks to the benefits the risks need to be assessed. With World AIDS Day approaching on December 1st now is the time to evaluate your sexual health status.

1. Get Tested! If you are having sex you are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI”s), it is important to go get checked for not only HIV but the more common infections such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea that in females can go without symptoms. Consider getting tested every 6 to 12 months depending on if you have a new partner, want to incorporate this within a yearly exam or as recommended by your doctor. Good news is that there are various testing methods for HIV and a cheek swab is available.

2. Share! The results that you get should be shared with whomever you are being intimate with. You are not only protecting yourself but others as well by knowing where you stand in regards to STI’s. A proactive approach can make for an easier conversation when it comes from a place of genuine concern. Before becoming intimate consider a discussion of testing status. If you are in a monogamous relationship or married, it is still advisable get tested periodically.

3. Problems can be predictive! If you are having any sexual difficulty it can be indicative of a health concern, such as a circulation problem or other health concern. It is important to seek the advise of a doctor to help establish the cause. A discussion with your partner can help establish a greater intimacy on the emotional level, which can lead to a greater physical connection.

In conclusion it is open communication that fosters greater closeness and intimacy which can lead to a greater connection on all levels with your partner. While it may seem difficult to bring up this topic, it is crucial to protect your health.

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The Connection with Cholesterol and Children: New Guidelines

DrAlishaND

What were once things that we thought to test in adults are now being passed on to children. It seems as though today’s kids are not only growing up too fast, but perhaps also growing too wide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 17 percent of children in the USA are currently obese, three times the number a decade ago. With a growing waistline, one now has to worry about what else increases with that, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

The newest guidelines that were endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a child’s first cholesterol check be between the ages of 9 and 11, and again between ages 17 and 21. Further recommendations come as no surprise, 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity with a diet rich in plant based foods.

Actions speak louder than words, if you have a child in your life, make a point to take care of your body and show him or her how to do the same, with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Here are 3 simple tips to make part of your daily routine:

1. Plan Your Work: We all have busy schedules of work, school, etc, our days are filled with tasks and just like we have a work schedule, make a work out schedule and find someone to hold yourself accountable to. You wouldn’t neglect your work, so don’t do it with your work out. Decide what is realistic and when you have the energy to do it. We need to work harder on ourselves that we do in our work!

2. Food is Medicine: There is food and then there is junk, there is no junk food! Some say that eating healthy is expensive, well how about paying for pharmaceutical medications in a few years. That adds up to a great cost, not just on your pocket book, but on your well being on all levels. Spend a few more dollars and time taking care of your nutritional needs so you don’t pay double later in life.

3. Be Lean and Eat Green: Pretend that you are a person from the Paleolithic times and eat accordingly. Protein in the morning, nuts and fruits for snacks, legumes and green vegetables with lunch and dinner. Tip: if you like salty and crunchy things, try kale chips. Cut up kale into bite size pieces and bake for 10-15minutes with light olive oil and sea salt at 350 degrees.

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90064697?Cholesterol%20testing%20urged%20for%20children#ixzz1dX01Brod
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/cholesterol.html#

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The Meaning of Doctor 6 Traits To Look For In Your Primary Care

DrAlishaND

The word doctor originates from the Latin word, docere, which means “to teach”. Did you know that your doctor, should not only be teaching you about your body and how to achieve health as well as how to prevent? Ultimately, your health, is in your hands, but your doctor, also should play detective with you, to help get to the source of your problem.

Naturopathic Doctors who are trained to primary care physicians, live by 6 principles that will be discussed shortly. First, know that “Training for Naturopathic Doctors consists of attending a four-year, graduate-level accredited Naturopathic Medical School. A Bachelors degree which includes standard pre-medical courses is required for admission. Naturopathic education starts with the same Basic Medical Sciences required of all doctors: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Embryology, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology among others.The second phase of training consists of the Diagnostic Sciences: Cinical Diagnosis, Physical Diagnosis, Laboratory Diagnosis and Radiological Imaging. The Academic study concludes with an understanding of treatments according to Naturopathic Principles, using modalities such as Clinical Nutrition, Botanical Medicines, Homeopathy, Physical Medicine, Hydrotherapy, Mind-Body Medicine, as well as pharmaceutical training paralleling MD’s.

During the last two years of Naturopathic School, students also undergo hands-on clinical training, treating patients under the supervision of other licensed doctors. The final step for students prior to becoming eligible for licensure is to pass the full set of national board exams, the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam (NPLEX). This is a set of 13 individual exams: 5 in the basic medical sciences, and 8 covering the clinical diagnostic sciences and Naturopathic Treatment.”

The 6 traits or as they are most referred to within the profession, tenets, include:

Primum no nocere: First, do no harm. This means that the most gentle and natural remedies will always be chosen first and that the suppression of symptoms will be avoided, since this can lead to the illness being pushed deeper into the body.
Vis medicatrix naturae: The healing power of nature. The body has an amazing inherent ability to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic doctors believe that their role is simply to facilitate the body’s own healing, using natural remedies and treatments.
Tolle Totale: Treat the whole person. This principle is based on the fact that every person is a unique individual. All aspects of a person must be taken into consideration and addressed in order for healing to occur.
Tolle causam: Identify and treat the cause. Rather than treating symptoms, which are signs from the body that illness is occurring, Naturopathic Medicine strives to find and treat the true underlying cause of disease.
Docere: Doctor as teacher. Your medical care should be a joint venture between your doctor and yourself. Naturopathic Doctors educate patients about their health and what they need to do to heal.
Principiis obsta sero medicina curatur: Prevention. The true goal of Naturopathic medicine is to help patients remove any causes of disease and maintain a healthy, happy body in order to prevent illness.
Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

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Pediatrics & Prevention 4 Points to Ponder

DrAlishaND

Have you heard the saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Prevention seems to be at its best in the pediatric population when habits and lifestyles are being formed. Children are also usually very eager to learn and be a helping hand which can aid in the creation of health for the whole family, which draws on another saying “families that play together, stay together.” Preventing acute and chronic illness which can be costly in many respects is the ultimate goal of the holistic practitioner.

The English word “doctor” comes from the Latin “docere” which means teacher. A true doctor will not just treat disease, but will emphasize education. We need to learn how to take care of yourselves, on all levels, mind, body, and spirit. The basics are always in front of us, such as the cliche “diet and exercise”, but there is more that meets the eye.

Here are :
1. Take Time to Play-both adults and children need this, and can enjoy doing this together. Get out a ball, a doll, or a lego set and let your creative juices flow! Playing, similar to laughter, is one of the best medicines!
2. Make Time to Read-literacy is crucial to the health and wealth of a population. Find 15 minutes an open a book near dinner time, and read out loud to your children, and have them do the same.
3. Focus on Food-fruits and vegetables are never going to go out of style. Food is the foundation of prevention. From the moment we are born, we immediately feed after, and it nourishes us in many ways. Family dinners should not be on special occasions, but rather a common occurrence.
4. Be Proactive and Plan-be familiar with common childhood problems, like appendicitis. Know the symptoms, and where you can go for an urgent or emergent pediatric problem that is close by. Planning and prevention go hand in hand.

Doctors are in part, only as good as the questions they ask. Encourage children to talk about their bodies, and all the functions. Pass on a good foundation for a healthy dose of play, literacy, nourishment, and the skill of planning.

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Do it Yourself Detox 5 Tips to Get Clean

DrAlishaND

Detox, short for detoxification, is becoming a main stream term and way of life for many. Our environment is drastically different now then ever before with so many new chemical exposures, cars, electromagnetic fields (EMF’s), etc. The human body is naturally designed to always return to homeostasis, however, it can be trouble some when it is over burdened with a toxic environment and way of life. There are 2 detox pathways that are used by the liver, both of which require plenty of nutrients, including folic acid, glutathione, B2, B3, B6, B12, Vitamins A, C, & E, and amino acids, amongst others. A detox can range from a few simple changes, or can be a complete program lead by a physican. Here are a few things you can do on your own that will help clean up your act:

  1. Abstain from Alcohol: All toxins, medications, supplements, hormones, etc get processed by your liver. The liver works very hard at just the normal day to day stuff and alcohol is very toxic. Go on a 3 week hiatus from the booze, now is a good time before the holidays hit!
  2. Be Aware of Your Environment: Do you live in an old house? Are you remodeling? Do you wear perfume? Do you breathe in smoke? Problems like mold, or off gases from new carpet and other textiles can release lots of chemicals in your home. Have some house plans such as a spider plant or certain ferns that clean up the air. If you like wearing a scent, switch to essentials oils which are free from toxins. Do you best to breathe in clean air.
  3. Your Mind Matters: Do you have negative self talk? Our emotions and beliefs can effect the expression of our cells (Book: Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton). Do you have old emotions, like those from childhood, that still cause stress for you today? Your mind is most likely your best asset. Take care of it, and go talk to someone to sort out any stresses that are here.
  4. Eat Liver Supportive Foods: For your next grocery store trip, if you shop at a large retailer vs a natural foods store, shop on the perimeter of the store, hitting the produce and meat areas. Pick up spinach, asparagus, avocado, bananas, oranges, pomegranates, chicken and salmon. All of these foods are higher in the nutrients your liver needs for the detoxification pathways.
  5. Home Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is an ancient healing technique that uses water, sometimes in the alteration of hot and cold applications to help blood perfusion and thus bring oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Take a warm bath and add Epsom salts (contain magnesium) to it. (Caution: do not do if you have heart trouble, diabetic or feel tired and weak.) Pat dry vs rub so the toxins that have seeped out onto the skin get on the towel and not rubbed back in. Remember your skin is like a sponge, what you put on it, soaks in.

 

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Functional Blood Analysis: What is it and what can it do for you?

DrAlishaND

Functional Medicine is now like a coined term that references a type of medicine that addresses optimal health versus disease states. Part of functional medicine includes a doctor viewing blood work with this same lens, so to speak. That the doctor doesn’t just see that a lab value is “within normal range”, but rather looks at the lab value and asks is this optimal, or is this heading in a pathological direction, i.e. on the brink of diabetes. This type of medicine really puts “health” back in “health care” vs “disease care.”

Part of the principles of functional medicine includes addressing what are referred to as the core clinical imbalances, which arise from malfunctions within this complex system and include[1]:

  • Hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalances
  • Oxidation-reduction imbalances and mitochondropathy
  • Detoxification and biotransformational imbalances
  • Immune imbalances
  • Inflammatory imbalances
  • Digestive, absorptive, and microbiological imbalances
  • Structural imbalances from cellular membrane function to the musculoskeletal system

 Functional Medical doctors include all types, DC’sMDs, NDs, and FNP. These practitioners educate their patients on healthy lifestyles that focus on prevention and changing physiology to promote healing and wellness. Most people get annual check ups, and part of that includes basic blood work to evaluate how your body is working. A functional lab interpretation can let you know if you are dysglycemic, B12 deficient, dehydrated, and more. The body gives you these signs and symptoms and it just takes a person educated at reading these to pick up the cues to evaluate if it is heading in the right direction, or if changes need to be made. This type of work can catch future problems before they become an actual disease states, and thus out of the normal lab ranges.

Remember, your health is ultimately up to you. You have the power to make changes and choose a doctor who listens to your concerns, educates you, and takes a proactive approach. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

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Love Your Liver 5 Do’s and Don’t

DrAlishaND

The liver is a remarkable organ that can actually regenerate itself. It is important for many bodily processes, such as helping with metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food. Your cholesterol is also mainly made in your liver, and only a small amount is actually obtained from food. Furthermore, your liver also helps make different proteins for blood clotting and body fluid balancing. At last, one of the biggest jobs your liver does is detoxification of all types of toxins your body encounters. You need to love your liver, especially in the month of October, as it is National Liver Awareness Month.

 

  1. Stay Away from Alcohol! This is one of the biggest toxins that we voluntarily deliver to our bodies and what little gain it gives you; it pains your body in many more ways. Aim to stay away from it for at least the next 3 weeks.
  2. Ante Up on Antioxidants! Toxic chemicals, which come from a variety of sources, create free radical damage, and even our own bodily processes do too, and to combat this we need antioxidants. (The Dr. Oz show has a great visual demo with balloons to illustrate this concept) Vitamins C, E, and Zinc are great antioxidants that you can get in your diet by eating leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens, as well as nuts and seeds.
  3. Buck Up with B vitamins and Buckwheat! There are several B vitamins that help with the detoxification process, and if you continuously expose your body to toxins, i.e. alcohol you use up your stash of these vitamins. Buckwheat is a gluten free grain that is not only high in B vitamins, but in magnesium as well, which is needed to help detoxification pathways.
  4. Load Up on the Amino’s! Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein, and serve different important roles, one which is converting fat soluble substances, many of which are toxic, into water soluble ones so that your body can excrete them through the liver and kidneys and out as urine. The two amino acids that do this the best are Methionine and Cysteine. Foods rich in these are: egg yolks, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, sesame seeds and legumes.
  5. Spice it Up! Ginger and Turmeric are two excellent choices to add to your food. Ginger promotes overall liver health, while Turmeric is a great antioxidant. Ideally try freshly ground ginger, and consider drinking it as a tea, or mixing in with vegetables or even make curry!

 

Make a plan to eat some of these foods, today, and try new recipes if you have never cooked with these ingredients before. Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You only get one body in this life so take care of it, and it will take care of you!

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Flu Vaccine and Immune Health

DrAlishaND

5 Things to boost your own defenses

To get a shot or not, is the question here, kind of. The intent of this article is to give you some resources for your own research so that you can make an informed decision on how to keep the viruses at bay and away from your body. The most important thing to consider are the populations at risk for immune compromisation, the elderly, pregnant women, chronic disease patients, etc, as they are lives are more on the line. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides good information on what the flu is, and who they recommend getting vaccinated.[1]However, most likely it is not the flu itself that kills people, but rather other complications, such as pneumonia, and “the flu vaccine is no more effective for children than a placebo, according to a large-scale, systematic review of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews”. [2]

While the flu vaccine is an inactivated form of 3 influenza strands, and technically shouldn’t cause someone to get the flu, it was interesting to read several side effects of people getting sick after receiving the vaccine. Medicine Net provides more back ground information and allows people to post the effects they experienced after.[3]

Here are5 Natural Waysto Boost Your Immune System:

  1. Eat the Rainbow! Plenty of fruits and veggies provide you with the nutrients your body needs to keep your immune system running smoothly. New recommendations have done away from servings, and have suggested the plate method, in which half of your plate is filled with fruits and vegetables, and the other with protein, and grains[4] (gluten free ideally). And stay away from sugar!
  2. Supplement your Stomach! Probiotics are a great thing to take to help make sure your gut is in balance with good bacteria.[5] Did you know that most of your immune system is actually in your gut?
  3. Wash your Hands! This is somewhat of a no brainer, but a good reminder that washing or sanitizing your hands often prevent infection from spreading. Choose a natural based sanitizer is best, free of chemicals; go to your local health food store for help finding one.
  4. Stress Less! Most people often get sick after traveling or after a deadline at work, or some other of life’s pressures. Anything you can do to decrease your stress is a boost to your immune system! Consider drinking Kava Tea by Yogi, and taking B vitamins to help dampen the stress response.

Take your Vitamins! There are many supplements that one can take, and are recommended even if eating properly, as our food isn’t as nutritious as it once was. Some vitamins to discuss with your holistic doctor

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Mind and Memory

DrAlishaND

5 ways to keep it

You’ve heard the saying; the mind is a terrible thing to waste. This is a slogan that originated as a marketing effort to help the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and it definitely succeeded, now 40 years later, it has $1Billion dollars raised and 350,000 educated college students later. There is debate between mind v.s. brain, a phenomena referred to as “dualism”. For the purposes here, the two will be combined, although there can be a difference. Medically speaking, the things that we want to prevent are Alzheimer’s, every 69 seconds someone develops this disease, which can carry a great burden mentally, physically, and economically to the patient and their care givers.[1] Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is another tragedy. There are other neurological and mood disorders that can also impair our mind and memory. More over, what about the subtle stress that many face day to day, that when compounded can decrease your minds abilities? Here are 5 things you can do to take power over your mind and memory.

  1. Eat brain food! [2] Salmon provides essential fatty acids which research is showing can provide help for those suffering from depression.[3] If fish isn’t your thing, try fresh ground flax seed to add to a smoothie.
  2. Exercise! Moving your body is not only good for your muscles, but your mind as well. Minimal goal should be 30 minutes of walking, hiking, biking, swimming at least 3 times a week, but ideally more. Research shows again, that this helps those with depression.[4]
  3. Forget and Forgive! Life will through challenges at you, friends and family may let you down sometimes, however it is important to not hold that stress in, stress plays a role in virtually every disease/disorder, and learning to let go, will make your life better.[5] If you are having trouble with this, talk to someone. Remember “I” statements to help express your emotions without blame to others.
  4. Have Play in your Day! You need to choose something to that will help decrease stress.[6] Do you have children or a dog that can bring that into your life? They play regularly, if not try to find another source of playfulness, dancing, laughter, etc, anything to let loose and cut the seriousness.
  5. Multi-tasking goes Mad to Bad! You try to do it, but sometimes it can cause you to be juggling too much at once, which is a bad thing for your brain. Research shows that only one complicated task should be handled at once, and that it can impair memory and learning.[7] The biggest thing to avoid is multi-tasking when eating as this can impair absorption. Do your best to eat in a comfortable setting with company that you enjoy.
Dr. Alisha, ND – Health info you can use, naturally