Essential Fatty Acids
I talk a lot about essential fatty acids (EFAs) and I have been asked recently what they are and what they do. These are great questions!! This post will look at the most common EFAs and fill you in on the latest research into what they do and how you can consume optimal amounts of them to improve your health.
Six Lessons for a Happier Life
This picture doesn’t have much to do with this post, but it’s funny – and laughter is extremely important in living a healthy life! Now moving on…..
These six keys for experiencing more happiness in your life were adapted from an interview with Christophe Andre, a French author, self proclaimed pessimist and expert on happiness.
- Accept that there will be unpleasant things in life. All the time, every day, you’ll face hindrances: You’ll be too late or make a mistake or say something stupid. It’s the rent you pay to live in the house of life. It’s part of life. There’s no point in being disappointed when things don’t go your way.
- Open your eyes and look around. There are more opportunities for happiness than you think, certainly for someone living in America. Embrace the moments. Try to remember them. Enjoy them.
- Take time out. The ability to pause, mentally as well as in your actions, is important. Taking breaks is a prerequisite for experiencing happiness.
- Pay attention to your family and friends. Social ties are important for happiness. Don’t let a day go by without thinking of, or seeing, someone you love.
- Try to get in touch with nature every day. Take a walk in the park and spend a few minutes looking at nature.
Express your gratitude and respect for the good things you experience. Being thankful makes you happy and increases the change of social connection. Live a happier life!
Getting Ready for the Cold and Flu Season
photo credit: Hygiene Matters
It’s that time of year again – the kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to turn and the drug companies are blitzing the airwaves with ads to get your flu shot. Whether or not you decide to do so, there are many natural ways to boost your immune system and significantly reduce your risk of getting sick and/or staying sick.
Boost your Vitamin D Levels
Almost everyone in the upper Midwest has low vitamin D levels. We’ve tested hundreds of people and only a handful had adequate vitamin D levels (and they were all supplementing with at least 4000 IU/day of vitamin D3). Get tested (the test you want is called ‘twenty-five hydroxyl vitamin D’ or ’25 (OH) Vit D’) – you want your level to be between 50-60 ng/ml. If you are not supplementing, your levels are most likely (very) low. Here are two easy options:
Bio-D-Mulsion Forte – 1 drop twice daily (each drop contains 2000 IU of vitamin D3) with meals
Iso D3 – 1 tablet twice daily with meals
Feed the Good Bugs
Everyone has billions of microorganisms (e.g., ‘bugs’) that live inside their gastrointestinal tract that are intricately involved in your immune function. Imbalances in these bacteria can dramatically impact your immune status. Eating foods that promote the good ‘bugs’ like yogurt, kefir, fermented foods, fresh and cooked vegetables, beans, peas and lentils; and avoid foods that feed the bad ‘bugs’ like sugar, white flour products, alcohol, soda and trans-fats. In addition, taking a probiotic (i.e., good bugs) can help make up for any deficits; we recommend Ortho Biotic – 1 capsule 1-2x/day on an empty stomach.
Take Supplemental Support to Boost Your Immune System
Research has shown that the immune system benefits from adequate amounts of vitamin C and zinc. In addition, recent research has shown that certain mushroom extracts help the body identify and destroy foreign invaders (i.e., viruses and bacteria), keeping you healthier.
From October through April everyone at our clinic uses a product called ImmuCore on a daily basis (1 tablet 3x/day with meals). As you can imagine, we see a LOT of ill people on any given day and if we are sick, we can’t help very many people get well.
Doing these three things won’t guarantee you won’t get sick, but the research shows that it will drastically reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of whatever Mother Nature throws our way this cold and flu season. And that’s something we can all benefit from!
For more information, see the following:
Two Ways to Dramatically Improve Your Child’s Immune Health
Swine Flu/H1N1 and Flu Prevention Protocol and What to do if you have to take the vaccine
13 Tips to Prevent a Cold or the Flu the Natural Way
Study indicates cholesterol levels affected by dietary sugar
A new study indicated that increased intakes of sugars from process and prepared foods may detrimentally affect your ‘good’ cholesterol.
Despite all the negativity directed toward sugar consumption, this is surprisingly the first study of its kind to examine a link between the consumption of added sugars and lipid measures. Continue Reading »
Meet the perfectly hydrated kid
This is the story of a boy named Gregory.
Greg, like most kids, didn’t slow down very much to eat or drink much water throughout the day. Consequently, Greg was showing signs of dehydration and improper digestion, including environmental allergies and asthma, as well as periods of low energy.
Greg took it upon himself to try and slow down while eating – chewing his food until it was a liquid (which can be a lot of chewing for a young man!) and drinking about ¼ – ½ cup of water every 30-40 minutes throughout the day to make sure he was getting enough water to help his body function optimally. We also identified and addressed some underlying nutritional imbalances. Continue Reading »
Asthma sufferers may find relief in Vitamin D and Magnesium
photo credit: nicasaurusrex
The cases of asthma continue to rise in the United States at an alarming rate. However, a recent study indicates that vitamin D and magnesium could play a role in helping asthmatic symptoms.
Over the past 15 years, the incidence rate of asthma has doubled in the United States. Currently, 20 million people, or 7% of the population, suffer from the disease.
Common treatment involves inhaled corticosteroids and glucocorticoids.
Many patients don’t experience relief from those approaches and use alternative therapies. Fortunately, a recent study indicates that Vitamin D and magnesium can play a role in helping asthmatic symptoms. Continue Reading »
A naturopathic way to reduce eczema in children
photo credit: vegamaster
Increases in beta-carotene, vitamin E, Folic acid and iron can help reduce the risk of eczema in children, according to a Korean study. The increased intakes of the four nutrients were found to reduce the risk of atopic dermatitis (AD), and can be accomplished through naturopathic supplements. Continue Reading »
More Vitamin D during Winter Months
If you live in a northern climate, as I do, you know the long winter months are mentally grueling – especially the lack of sunshine.
Less sun can also have physical implications, as it deprives you of enough Vitamin D. Now researchers from the University of California-Davis have revealed information that indicates people need to significantly increase their intake of Vitamin D.
Before we get to the study, let’s review Vitamin D. Continue Reading »