Can You Always Think Positive?

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Can You Always Think Positive?

I am certainly trying.

I was raised on a thick Scandinavian-German dose of Murphy’s Law, and am described to have a “Death Valley DRY sense of humor sprinkled heavily with cynicism”.

Maybe I get my old man sense of humor from my Grandpa, or maybe it is just because I have been working in The American Sickcare System for the past nine years.

Sometimes it is really tough to stay positive.

Recently I read an article at one of my favorite positivity sites Ya-ttitude titled “The 4-Step Plan to Success” instructing me to:

“Keep your mind tightly closed to all negative influence.

Those negative influences can come from places you least expect;

friends, family and acquaintances.”

Sounds simple enough! So I decided to try it.

Positive thinking is crucial to any successful stress management program.

I am actively working hard to learn new ways to be more positive by following the advice from author’s such as Benny Greennberg from Ya-ttitude, Life Coach, Tim Brownson from A Daring Adventure, and my other favorite reads at Principles for Peace, ZenHabits, and Zenplease.

I work hard to read and test out their stress management tips so I can better share the simplest ways to live stress free.

In my opinion, closing yourself off to ALL negative thinking is the foundation to being positive and less stressed. Benny Greenwood’s Four Step Plan has it exactly right.

Being positive also means learning to just go with the flow.

For instance, the other day the cat puked all over my pile of clean laundry. Instead of getting upset, I decided to quickly see the positive in things and tossed the nasty mess straight in to the washing machine.

“Ha! Now I don’t have to fold and iron that whole mess today!” I thought, applying my goal to always strictly see everything as positive, as I washed my hands clean of the nasty mess.

Now if someone cynical like me can be more positive while cleaning up cat puke, then anyone can!

Try it.

Try only seeing the positive in every situation for an entire month. See how that month then goes for you.

• Were you more productive?
• More happy?
• More pleasant to be around?
• Did you make new friends?
• Do more people like you now?

I know this is not about being more popular, it is about being more positive to reduce useless stress. Being more popular is just a fringe benefit to being more positive.

Do you know someone that could benefit from being more popular er…positive?

Who in your life could benefit from this stress management tip?

• That demanding perfectionistic boss?
• Irritating co-worker?
• Always agitated friend?
• Meddling mother in law?
• Cranky husband?
• Ungrateful child? (Mom please don’t send this to me…I promise I’m trying!)

E-mail them this article, or print it out and allow it to mysteriously “appear” on their desk, or somewhere they might be forced to find it.

The options are endless when it comes to how “positivity” and positive thinking can help us. I notice the immediate result for me with positive thinking, is that my attitude about life is just better.

I am instantly happier.

When I see the positive in a tough situation that once had me upset, I am learning from life. Maybe the lesson was hard. But learning the lesson and moving forward is one of life’s biggest positives. How else are we to grow?

Growth is positive.

Post note: During the final editing of this little uplifting article on positivity, I realized that I never remembered to TURN THE WASHING MACHINE ON! So the cat puke mess sat in there for three delicious hot summer days!

Oh my…well if someone can please help me see the positive in that, I would be most grateful. *shudder*

Ugh…“I am too blessed to be stressed”.

I will be busy reciting the positive person mantra until further notice.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Pain and Positive Mental Attitude

Do You Think Positive Mental Attitude Can Heal Pain?

In the case of Jennifer Mannion it did.

I am very grateful that Jennifer found Kitchen Table Medicine so that she could share her story with us. The following is a case report on how positive thinking was used to heal chronic pain.

Below is Jennifer’s personal account on how she cured her fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome with a change in her thinking.

If this story doesn’t support the naturopathic model of mind/body/spirit holistic healing, I am not sure what else will. Since no pharmaceutical company can patent “positive thinking” and sell and promote it, I will do my best to be the spokesperson (not the poster child) for positive mental attitude.

Please welcome to the kitchen table Jennifer Mannion, the author of the website Heal Pain Naturally!

I had been chronically ill and in chronic pain for 6 years and had received several diagnoses including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Mono and Benign Hypermobility Syndrome. The doctors told me I would always be in chronic pain and would most likely be in a wheelchair. They told me to manage my pain with prescription drugs. Being a mom in her mid thirties with two young children this did not sit right with me but I did not know what else to do.

Upon seeing the movie “The Secret” I knew I would learn all I could about the mind/body connection and that I WOULD heal myself. I did not agree with 100% of the material in The Secret but the parts on health really struck a chord. The fact that our bodies are constantly creating cells and we have a new body every couple of years was new to me. It woke me up to the fact that I could in fact possibly control the type of cells my body was producing “sick” cells or “healthy” cells depending on what I was telling myself.

I surrounded myself with audios, books, ebooks and immediately started putting into practice what I was learning. Within 2 weeks I was off of pain killers. Within a month I felt better than I had in 10 years. Now 18 months later I am still pain and pain pill free. I KNOW how powerful the mind is and I KNOW it is possible to shift from a reality of sickness to a healthier you.

I adopted a method to healing that I call the PAGING ME SYSTEM. It is about “waking up” your subconscious and using tools to put you in the right frame of mind. I have found so many great teachers in the last year and a half and continue to learn every day. I am grateful for my illnesses because they brought me to this point of my life. I have found my passion which is to empower others to realize their own power within to heal. Paging Me is an acronym for the methods I adopted to heal myself.

PAGING ME SYSTEM

Forgiveness of others and self-forgiveness was a key part of my healing. It is something that people often have trouble dealing with. But how therapeutic it is when you let go of all the reasons you have been upset with yourself, all the mistakes you made or bad timed things you might have said.

After this was forgiveness of others/circumstances as I could spend hours saying well if “he hadn’t done this….” or if “this hadn’t happened”. I realized I had spent enough time being angry and whoever/whatever circumstance I was angry at and that it had taken enough of my energy. I was going to let that go as well and try and think of a reason why I encountered that person/thing and how I grew from the experience. I needed to PARDON myself, situations and other people from the anger, resentment and blame that I had held onto for so long.

Being in pain it became easy and a habit to wake up every day and say “ow my back hurts” or “oohhww my leg”. When I woke, my mind was on alert for what part of my body hurt and that is where my attention went. Instead I had to shift my attention to the one part of me that didn’t hurt. Even if it was my little finger that is where my whole conscious mind went as I said repeatedly in my mind “I am so happy and grateful I am so healthy – I know how good my finger feels and that means my whole body is healthy”. Shifting the ATTENTION to what was working and feeling good and away from what was bad and negative did wonders for helping me to feel better.

My next tool was being GRATEFUL. When you are in chronic pain or have been diagnosed with illnesses it is easy to feel ungrateful. I needed to concentrate on what I DID have and who and what I WAS grateful for. I LOVE the house and community where I am living. I have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful, very smart and healthy children. I have always had a lot of friends and consider myself to be a very good friend to others. I have wonderful parents and extended family. This tool worked wonders for me in the morning and at night right before bed.

Then there were the INFLUENCES (people & media) that I was surrounding myself with. I was watching or listening to the news a few times a day. I was around people who would constantly complain but did not want to listen to me. I was reading violent fiction novels. When I shifted to reading personal development, law of attraction and mind/body connection books and STOPPED watching the news I noticed a HUGE shift in my mood. I also surrounded myself with my more positive friends and limited my time with what James Ray calls “Energy Vampires”.

The next tool was being conscious of my self-talk. Was I telling myself I was sick because the doctors had told me that for years? Was I saying “can’t and “won’t” more than “can” and “will”? I was honestly appalled when I stopped and listened to my subconscious mind. I discovered just how NEGATIVE it was and was very happy to change the messages I was sending myself. If I was waiting in line at a store and someone in front of me was “holding it up” I would get angry – now I stop, relax, realize the person in line isn’t doing it on purpose nor are they happy about the situation. I think about what I can do to pass the time and feel good – think of a happy memory, prioritize the stuff to do later, think of a blog post I want to write about….. Your time is only wasted if you tell yourself it is – there is always a place to go in your mind to make the use of time more positive.

It was also imperative for me to set some GOALS. My life had become wrapped around the kids and my illnesses and I felt I had no time for goals – you ALWAYS have time for goals. If you don’t know WHAT you want – how are you ever going to get it? I did some soul searching and realized while I had pursued my invention I was not putting my all into it or setting obtainable goals in the road to getting a manufacturer. I was exercising here and there but wasn’t setting goals as to how far I could walk or how many times I would exercise that week or what jeans I wanted to fit me…..

Goal setting for my physical and mental wellness was key. I broke them into smaller steps so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed. I felt so great when I crossed something off of my list that brought me one step closer to my final goal. In time I found it necessary to set goals in a bunch of different areas: mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and financial. I started with concentrating on 1 or 2 at a time but felt if I didn’t have goals set for all these areas – how could I hope to grow in all these areas? Any small step crossed off is a HUGE boost in self esteem and gives you something to add to your gratitude list!

Being a mom and wife at times I felt that I had lost some of myself. I was always mommy, wife or daughter but I needed to find out who Jenny was again. I feel the best tool that helped me do this was MEDITATION. To take 10 minutes during the day and lock myself in my bedroom and either play Deepak Chopra’s Guided Soul Healing Meditations or to sit in silence and let my mind go and concentrate on my breathing. It allowed me to see what I was focusing on and it allowed me to relax. I loved the feeling of peace I achieved after just sitting for 10 minutes. With 2 young kids, noise and movement are pretty much par for the course…..

To know what you are passionate about and continually EDUCATE yourself in it boosts your self confidence. Whether it is music, social causes, wherever your passion lies – the more you know about it the better you will be at achieving goals with it. There are tons of free resources online and in libraries to learn about almost anything… take advantage of it and nurture what you love. It is only by really knowing about a topic that you can teach others and figure out a way to work doing something that involves a passion. Make sure when you are educating yourself you find a teacher/author who really speaks to you and resonates. This will make learning seem effortless and will ensure your interest will keep growing.

I think of these tools like “PAGING ME” (your subconscious). Waking it up so you can be the difference in your life and the world around you.

• Pardon yourself and others
• Attention shifting to health instead of feeling pain
• Gratitude
• Influences (people, news, reading – make them predominantly positive)
• No Negative self talk! Turn it around and Make it positive
• Goal Setting
• Meditation or quiet time for self.
• Education – am I continually learning about what I am passionate about?

I use the PAGING ME method to be in the moment and to help me keep focused. If things don’t go my way I use it to figure out why what happened did and how I can use it to move forward and learn from it. I use these tools daily to ensure my health. I have not taken a pain pill or been in pain for over 18 months.

I am now teaching my children to believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Once you know where your mind is and WHAT you want to accomplish it is a whole lot easier to make a plan to achieve it. I never doubted I would heal myself and here I am – feeling better than I have in years! I know the belief was integral in my healing. I believe if you use these tools you will heal what ails you or maintain your health and become more self aware in the process.

~Jenny

Jennifer Mannion was chronically ill and in chronic pain for over 6 years. Her prognosis was that her condition would only get worse. After studying the mind/body connection she was able to heal herself of all pain and illness. She is now a coach as a mind/body mentor and also maintains the blog Heal Pain Naturally that is about natural ways to heal emotional and physical pain.

If you have more questions you may leave them in the comments of this post, or you may personally contact Jennifer at jennymannion@yahoo.com and SKYPE: Jennifer.mannion

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Fibromyalgia and Vegan Diet

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

“Can the Kitchen Table Cure Fibromyalgia?”

When implementing the vegan diet it just might!

Research listed below shows dramatic and promising improvement for those with fibromyalgia by simply adopting a whole foods vegan diet that emphasizes increased fruits and vegetables and the elimination of all animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs.

From my clinical experience, eating an Anti-inflammatory diet is extremely beneficial for those with chronic pain. Vegan diets are probably beneficial because they are free of the evil kitchen table culprit “arachidonic acid” found in animal fats that most traditional prescription and over the counter pharmaceutical agents work to block.

To spare you all the biochemistry blah blah blah, let’s just say that arachidonic acid becomes inflammation. By implementing an anti-inflammatory eating plan or vegan diet, those challenged by the chronic debilitating pains of fibromyalgia just might experience a dramatic increase in pain relief, as well as less overall need for using medications.

Remember that less medicines, means less side effects. Less side effects means less medicine needed to address side effects of medications. Don’t get caught up in the snowball down spiraling effect of chronic prescription drug use if you can achieve similar if not better results with diet.

The kitchen table is truly the heart of medicine. If you are chronically ill, please consider giving yourself the gift of a healthy whole foods diet!

Going vegan may just be the answer to this painful condition. At the very least do your best to eliminate McInflammation. Be sure to always check with your physician before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Other researched therapeutics that may be helpful for fibromyalgia:

• Eliminate MSG, aspartame, and other “Kitchen Table Villains”.
• Allergy Elimination Diet.
• Reduce stress.
• Gentle exercise, especially swimming.
• Fish Oil
• Magnesium malate and malic acid.

Research on Vegan Diet and Fibromyalgia:

1. PMID: 11093597; Vegan diet alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms.Scand J Rheumatol. 2000;29(5):308-13.
2. PMID: 11602026; Fibromyalgia syndrome improved using a mostly raw vegetarian diet: an observational study.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2001;1(1):7. Epub 2001 Sep 26.
3. PMID: 11508070; Vegetarian diet in the treatment of fibromyalgia.Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull. 2000 Aug;26(2):41-7.
4. PMID: 11093597; Vegan diet alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms.Scand J Rheumatol. 2000;29(5):308-13.
5. PMID: 11408989; Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins.Ann Pharmacother. 2001 Jun;35(6):702-6.
6. PMID: 1802495; Diet and disease symptoms in rheumatic diseases–results of a questionnaire based survey.Clin Rheumatol. 1991 Dec;10(4):401-7.
7. PMID: 2049586; Primary fibromyalgia and the irritable bowel syndrome: different expressions of a common pathogenetic process.Br J Rheumatol. 1991 Jun;30(3):220-2.
8. PMID: 11156742; Antioxidants in vegan diet and rheumatic disorders.Toxicology. 2000 Nov 30;155(1-3):45-53.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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How Many Calories Do I Need a Day?

By Bonnie Pfiester, Fitness Trainer.

The million dollar question: “How many calories should I eat?”

Someone’s caloric allowance varies depending upon a person’s activity, weight and metabolism. One of the best places to start is by looking at the most popular brand name diets. Why do many brand named diets work? Brand name diets work because most of them are based on 1200 to 1500 calories no matter what food combinations they tell you to eat. Just look at these examples:

• South Beach Diet – 1200-1500 calories
• Atkins Diet – 1500 calories
• Sugar Busters – 1300 calories
• Low-Carb Diet – 1400 calories
• Jenny Craig – 1200-1500 calories
• Weight Watchers – 1500 calories
• Cabbage Soup Diet – 1000-1500 calories
• The Zone – 1000 – 1500 calories

You basically need to take in fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. The greater the deficit – the greater the weight loss. The question is how fast do you want to lose the weight? A caloric allowance or a brand name diet may seem low, but they give you plenty of room for error. Take into consideration most people miss calories and/or under estimate calories recorded during the journaling process.

If your caloric allowance is too close to your approximate calories burned, you may not be leaving enough room for error and not getting the results you want. It takes a 3500 calorie defecit to lose one pound. That means, if you reduce your calories by 500 calories a day you would lose 1 pound a week…or reduce your caloric intake by 1000 calories a day to lose 2lbs a week.

The average American eats nearly 3790 calories a day. Now, that doesn’t mean the person actually eats 4,000 calories a day – it could mean they eat 2,000 calories a day during the week, and on the weekends they consume enough restaurant meals and drinks to increase the overall average. This is also why American feels like they are living on a diet – most Americans diet during the week and screw it all up on the weekend….creating what I call “the never-ending diet plan”.

I bet you are saying “I know I don’t eat that many calories” and of course you probably don’t. That’s just a national average and you are probably already more aware of what you eat, putting you on the lower end of the average.

The only way to know exactly what you are eating is to journal your food by writing everything you eat down and documenting the number of calories in each item.

Most people’s mistake is they are not consistent. They key to success is dieting 7 days a week so your daily caloric intake for the week averages to be 1200-1500 calories. Just think of it like checks in balances with your bank account. You can save everyday, but all it takes is one bad shopping day to wipe out all your hard work.

~Bonnie

Bonnie Pfiester is a Personal Trainer and owner of the health club Longevity Fitness. You can enjoy more of Bonnie’s fitness and beauty articles at www.BonniePfiester.com .

You are invited to leave your fitness and sports nutrition questions in the comments below for Bonnie to briefly answer or write about in future articles.

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Dairy Free Banana Ice Cream Recipe

If I can make this easy whole foods recipe then anyone can!

This recipe for dairy free banana “ice cream” is a piece of dairy free cake to make for those that are allergic or intolerant to dairy. If you long for something cold and creamy, banana ice cream should surely satisfy.

Eating bananas instead of fattening ice cream is also a healthy whole foods way to lose weight and feel better.

Although bananas have been given a bad rap by dieters when you weigh in the average 100 calories in a banana next to a large fattening bowl of ice cream, the banana is going to win hands down! Plus bananas have all the fiber, potassium, vitamins, and minerals that ice cream can’t compete with.

Ingredients: Frozen Bananas

Directions: Peel, chop in large chunks, and freeze overly ripe (not brown) bananas. Place in Cuisinart food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy alone or add some organic chocolate sauce for garnish! If you are dairy intolerant be sure to use dairy free chocolate sauce or other alternative topping.

Variations: If you are lazy (er… efficient and REALLY busy) like me, or don’t have a Cuisinart then you can just chop the frozen bananas up and enjoy with some organic chocolate sauce, raspberries, or strawberries. See what other kinds of frozen fruits can easily be made in to “ice cream”. If you have a child that is allergic to dairy, giving them fresh fruit “ice cream” is a fun way to get more whole foods in to your kids. Be sure to call it “ice cream” so they are excited to eat this whole foods treat!

To save money I purchase bunches of bananas when they are on sale and then chop in thirds and freeze for smoothies and other healthy treats.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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The Adam & Eve Diet Plan

When I consider all the diets on the market, I can’t help but wonder how Adam and Eve ate.

I mean, there was no paparazzi to capture them eating at the trendy “Garden of Eden Café” nor were there tabloids exploiting Eve’s hot body and her latest “In the Garden Workout”.

Diet and exercise as we know it didn’t even exist.

Deep fryers weren’t even invented and the closest thing to fast food was picking an apple off a tree. High calorie foods simply were not as easy to come by and exercise was a just way of life.

No one had to tell Adam and Eve to workout, they got plenty of exercise with their standard daily duties. I bet we’d burn a lot more calories and eat a lot less if we had to live like they did.

With that in mind, I really doubt obesity was much of an issue. Eve couldn’t have just gone to Publix to pick up a few groceries. Collecting food took time and energy. Since there was no refrigeration, it was essential the food was fresh for each meal so the chores were never-ending.

I don’t know about you, but I think God is pretty smart. We humans are the ones who goof everything up. He created a lifestyle complete with everything we need to eat and live healthy.

We are the ones who not only have turned eating into entertainment but we’ve become greedy and impatient. We want to get the most food for the money and there better not be a long wait.

If that was not bad enough, we’ve created a ton of shortcuts in life to actually avoid burning extra calories. We circle parking lots to avoid extended walks and wouldn’t dare get up from the couch to change the channel.

If we were to go on “Adam & Eve’s Diet and Exercise Program”, we’d eat more fresh whole foods, take fewer shortcuts and increase our activity. It all makes since. Like I said, I think God’s smart and His original design was a pretty good one.

~Bonnie

Bonnie Pfiester is a Personal Trainer and owner of the health club Longevity Fitness. You can enjoy more of Bonnie’s fitness and beauty articles at www.BonniePfiester.com

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Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamins D, B12, and Fish Oil

What vitamins are best for my multiple sclerosis?

Currently the research is showing great promise for vitamin D and multiple sclerosis (MS).

With the rising use of sunscreen for skin cancer prevention, vitamin D deficiency is at an all time high.

We have consequently seen an interesting rise in autoimmune conditions that may thus result from lack of adequate vitamin D levels in the system. Aside from the vitamin D our skin creates from UV light, the only decent dietary sources are fish, yeast, fungus, and fortified milk.

For most people a dose of vitamin D at 1000 IU is therapeutic. Please work with a naturopathic physician if you choose to increase that dose, as the life threatening condition hypercalcemia can potentially occur.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that stores in our body, and may play a role in the multiple sclerosis phenomena, as prevalence of MS increases the further people live from the equator. Also, traditional diets in northern European regions typically heavily rely on cold water fish, a natural source of vitamin D.

Research shows that vitamin D helps prevent falls in the elderly. For wheelchair bound patients with MS unable to engage in weight bearing exercise, vitamin D also serves to prevent osteoporosis. This vitamin, that is now considered a “pro-hormone” importantly plays a role in “cell differentiation” which results in healthier cells and tissues in our body. Normally formed and functioning cells are imperative to a healthy immune system.

Another way to receive vitamin D is in cod liver oil. Preliminary studies on the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory components in fish oil look promising for MS. For most patients I would recommend 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil twice daily with food. A study listed below utilized four tablespoons daily, however, if one is monitored by their physician for potential bleeding complications or drug interactions an increased dose may also be implemented.

Please ALWAYS check with your physician for drug interactions before adding any nutritional therapies in to your regimen as many vitamins have drug interactions. Fish oil for instance should not be consumed by those that are pregnant, have bleeding disorders, or are on anti-coagulant medications.

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalmin) may also be helpful for MS patients as this vitamin helps form the myelin sheath of neurons, the component of the nervous system that is attacked and destroyed by the immune system in MS.

A small study of patients receiving an injection of 1000mcg of Vitamin B12 showed mild improvement in symptoms. Because vitamin B12 is water soluble, toxicity is not of much concern and this therapeutic that is as dirt cheap as vitamin D is well worth trying. Supplementation of B12 is absolutely necessary for those with MS that are on a vegan diet to reduce inflammation. Oral administration of B-12 is typically just as efficacious, and one can take B12 at 1000 mcg daily.

Diet is extremely important for MS. I have seen dramatic improvement in patients that have followed an Allergy Elimination Diet as well as the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Cleaning up the diet, managing stress, quitting smoking, reducing animal fats in the diet, gentle pool water aerobics, and ensuring good sleep at night are important foundations to a natural healing program for MS.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table to ask the question. If you have any additional questions on this you can leave them in the comments section.

Research:

PMID: 8755567; 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 reversibly blocks the progression of relapsing encephalomyelitis, a model of multiple sclerosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996 Jul 23;93(15):7861-4.
PMID: 15054436; Multiple sclerosis and vitamin D: an update. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Aug;58(8):1095-109.
PMID: 12185153; A randomized placebo controlled exploratory study of vitamin B-12, lofepramine, and L-phenylalanine (the “Cari Loder regime”) in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002 Sep;73(3):246-9.
PMID: 10987373; Effect of dietary advice and n-3 supplementation in newly diagnosed MS patients. Acta Neurol Scand. 2000 Sep;102(3):143-9. (good review of the research done before)
PMID: 2540285; A double-blind controlled trial of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1989 Jan;52(1):18-22.

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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The Top Eleven Easiest Foods to Grow

With the rising cost of gas, the price of food is just going to continue to rise as well.

For those of us in Washington experiencing “Juneuary” the yield of crops in this area may also be rather disappointing, and therefore result in an additional increase in local produce costs this summer.

Growing food that doesn’t require a great deal of maintenance is a simple way to cut organic costs in your kitchen.

Whether you are lazy or you are simply very busy and searching for “efficient” gardening tips, choosing the easiest fruits and vegetables to grow will save you time and money in the long run.

The key to starting your first garden is to choose foods that practically grow on their own. Pick a sunny patch, water daily, and sit back and watch them grow. Really, if I can grow this stuff- then anyone can grow this stuff!

The Eleven Laziest (er… efficient) Foods to Grow:

• Garlic-Grows as easy in a sunny pot garden as the ground. A renowned antimicrobial agent and cardiovascular herb, garlic has a multitude of medicinal properties.
• Carrots-The beta carotene in carrots is best absorbed when they are cooked. Eating cooked carrots is therefore a better form of antioxidants than in their raw form. Research shows that beta carotene may be protective for those with cataracts and macular degeneration. Beta Carotene may also prevent healthy people from developing these visual disturbances.
• Tomatoes-Enjoy fresh off the vine or canned in to your own homemade organic spaghetti sauce. The lycopene in tomatoes actually become more bioavailable with cooking, or processing.
• Potatoes- Harvest fresh as needed. Be sure to eat the peel of these organic potatoes! The peel contains vitamins and fiber to balance your blood sugar and keep your energy stable.
• Strawberries-Best to grow these yourself as non-organic strawberries are on the dirty dozen, the notorious top twelve dirtiest produce that should be purchased organically.
• Radishes- Not just for rabbits! Radishes are essentially a “free food” meaning they have almost no calories. So go ahead-enjoy them with a little home made organic cucumber ranch dip! I won’t tell anyone.
• Cucumbers- Are sure to keep you cool this summer. Mix up some refreshing ice water with fresh slices of cucumbers, mint, and lemon.
• Beets-A liver cleansing, blood building food. Enjoy as your carbohydrate side dish in lieu of bread and more fattening carbohydrate choices. Grate in to salads, roast with olive oil, or juice with carrots for an invigorating pick me up.
• Nasturtiums-The flowers and leaves add a beautiful and spicy addition to summer salads. Plant in hangers on your decks for décor and to protect the leaves from slugs.
• Green beans- You can easily train these to grow anywhere! If you have a small back patio train them to grow up your fence using bean stakes, or make a green bean teepee!
• Squash the #1 laziest food to grow! Vegetables like zucchinis, pumpkins, and other summer squashes practically grow themselves! Watch out and make sure they have plenty of room to spread out! Root vegetables and squash make great side dishes for your meals. A fabulous way to keep weight down is to avoid eating empty calories like bread and fill up on healthier sources of carbohydrates like these starchy vegetables.

The easiest way to learn about what grows well in your area is to start visiting your local farmers market. Ask questions (and of course buy something while you are there). You can then learn to grow your garden accordingly. Farmer’s Markets are a great teaching opportunity to share with your kids!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table. Feel free to share you favorite lazy foods to grow in the comments.

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Environmentally Friendly Office Tip

Going paperless in the office is easy with social bookmarking! Let me quickly teach you how…

First of all, I am delighted to know that some of you find my naturopathic protocols and tips so helpful that you often print them out and “collect” them. As a savvy internet warrior I have learned a few fabulous paperless tricks for saving and sharing information on the internet.

You can be old fashioned, and just “bookmark” or “add to favorites” on your browser, however that is only helpful if you use the same computer all the time. Also, if your computer crashes, then you lose all your bookmarks. This has happened to me before, and now that I am wise to the wonderful ways of social bookmarking, I have improved my ability to collect and store the vast quantity of information I am constantly gathering.

Best of all…social bookmarking is paperless!

Printing out less paper is great for the environment. Obviously if you need a list to tape to your fridge or bathroom mirror that is one thing, but if you need somewhere to store all the articles that pertain to your health goals, then social bookmarking is the best bet.

The easiest system I have found for quickly tagging and collecting my information is to store it on the social bookingmarking site del.icio.us. You just need to set up an account and load the icon on to your browser. Anytime you find something you want to return to, simply hit the “tag” icon.

If you have a chronic health condition, and enjoy researching information on the internet, you can easily tag and categorize any article that you find. Not only is it much more environmental than printing out a bunch of paper and keeping it in file folders, but it reduces clutter. I personally rely heavily on Stumbleupon and Digg for bookmarking articles I choose to reference or return to, but that is primarily because as a busy researcher, I am always sharing articles with my colleagues, while having access to that which they find useful as well. Sharing your internet finds with friends and family is the “social” part of bookmarking, which makes it that much more fun.

You can add me as a friend at these sites if you would like to share your articles with me!

Hope that helps save a tree or two!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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The Best Natural Cure for a Headache

What is the best kitchen cure for a headache? Well, water of course!

Since an estimated 80% of headaches are caused by dehydration, it is safe to say that water is the best kitchen remedy for most headaches.

Water is the leading kitchen cure superstar for that which ails you! So before running off to your medicine cabinet, try running to the kitchen to drink a large glass of water. Chances are in twenty minutes or less you won’t need any medicine.

Remember that dehydration is not just about water, it is also about electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, and other trace electrolytes are necessary for properly regulating our blood volume.

I like Emergen-C and Recharge as my top sports drink choices. You can easily make your own sports drinks with ingredients straight from your kitchen. Here is my recipe for Homemade Sport’s Drinks. Exercise, alcohol, and caffeine are the common culprits that leave us dehydrated and headachey. To prevent dehydration induced headaches drink in the ballpark of 60-80 ounces of water daily. You may need more than that if you are an endurance athlete.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Recipe: Organic Sports Drinks

Most sports drinks are just pollutionfests chock full of Kitchen Table Villains such as High Fructose Corn Syrup, food colorings, additives, preservatives, and artificial flavorings and colorings. With just a few simple kitchen ingredients, you can make your own homemade sports drinks.

The two widely available sports drinks I commonly recommend for athletes and those that are at risk of dehydration are Emergen-C and Recharge.

If you do not have these readily on hand, you can also easily make your own sports drinks at home.

Making your own sports drinks is fun, cost effective, and MUCH healthier than most alternatives.

Ingredients for Homemade Organic Sports Drinks:

• Pure Organic Fruit Juice (No High Fructose Corn Syrup!)
• Water or Green Tea
• Organic Sea Salt

Directions: Fill your sports bottle with half juice and half water. Add a pinch of organic sea salt, shake, and enjoy!

Sports Drink Variations and Information:

• You can use table salt, but organic sea salt is best to use as an electrolyte source as the minerals of the sea are very similar to our own electrolyte composition in our blood. Sea salt contains 84 minerals. Aside from sodium, you are receiving potassium, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, and more!
• A small pinch of sea salt is sufficient for most, a larger pinch should be used for endurance athletes, and convalescent care to stave off hyponatremia, the dangerous condition of low sodium levels that can cause muscle weakness, confusion, slurred speech, and more.
• The RDA for sodium depending on your age, ranges between 1200-1500mg daily.
• Most athletes lose around 1000mg of sodium per hour, depending on how much they sweat, you do not have to replete all of this at once though, doing so may result in gastrointestinal distress such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Most sports drinks contain around 20-60mg of sodium per 100 mL.
• One teaspoon of salt contains 2400mg of sodium. For hard core endurance athletes such as Ironman triathletes, that are in need of strict sodium regulation, I would aim for about 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt an hour for starters. If you get cramps or weakness in your muscles then you probably need more sodium and magnesium. If you get an upset stomach, chances are you need less sugar and electrolytes. These are just basic guidelines, the best formula is the one that works for you!
• Soups like chicken and vegetable broth can also be enjoyed as electrolyte sources.
• Green tea can be used for athletes wanting a little bit of a fat burning or energetic edge.
• Honey and sea salt can be added to green tea or your favorite herbal tea if fruit juice is unavailable. Enjoy hot or chilled.
• Try adding an Emergen-C packet to your room temperature green tea for an energizing, fat burning sports drink! Let the tea cool a bit because vitamin C is heat sensitive.
• Herbal teas can also be used in this formula as a simple way to deliver herbal medicine to sick children.
• Hydrating foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, honeydew, cantaloupe, and other such water packed fruits and vegetables are also excellent sources of water, sugar, and electrolytes. They are “Nature’s Sports Drinks”! Keep them in your refrigerator and serve them up cold to kids that have been actively playing in the warm summer sun.

Reference: Exercise Associated Hyponatremia, Cape Town, South Africa 2005. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 15(4):208-213, July 2005.

Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Natural Psoriasis Treatments

What natural medicines do you recommend for psoriasis?

The scaly silvery plaques of psoriasis that typically affect the elbows, knees, scalp, and other actively moving or injured regions can be unbelievably frustrating to manage and treat with natural or conventional therapies.

Conventional treatments work to reduce itching, inflammation, and inhibit skin overgrowth. Natural medicines also work to address those factors as well as identifying and treating causes of health imbalance that makes an individual more susceptible to the development of psoriasis.

In my opinion, most cases of psoriasis just need a thorough diet and lifestyle clean up. Most patients with psoriasis have terrible eating and lifestyle habits, and will easily improve with naturopathic care. Harsh medication such as corticosteroids and methotrexate should be avoided when at all possible as the side effects of these drugs are far worse than the symptoms of psoriasis that they are being used to treat.

Please check with your naturopathic physician or family doctor for drug-herb interactions or other contraindications before implementing any of these treatment ideas.

Diet for Psoriasis

• Eliminate all McInflammation.

• Vegan, gluten free diet. Animal fats will increase inflammation as discussed in my “Anti-inflammatory diet”.
• Current conventional postulations regarding the cause of psoriasis indicate a possible genetic error in mitotic control. This means that cells are dividing and replicating faster than they should. Excessive activation of lymphocytes (a form of white blood cells) are thought to be responsible for the short epidermal cell cycle that results in hyperproliferation of skin tissues. Since 70% of our immune system surrounds the gut in GALT (Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue) food allergies or intolerances may be to blame for immune dysfunction triggering the skin overgrowth aspects commonly associated with psoriasis.
• Dairy and wheat intolerance are common triggers for most people with skin conditions, especially psoriasis. A three week trial elimination of both with a re-introduction period individually of first wheat and then dairy is prudent. If wheat and dairy are not a problem I would continue on to a full allergy elimination diet and see if other foods may be resulting in inflammation and resultant immune dysfunction.

Kitchen Remedies for Psoriasis

• Avoid aspartame. Aspartame is not just a “Kitchen Table Villain”, but sensitivity is common in those with itchy skin conditions.
• Liver Support Foods: Most patients will benefit from some gentle detox.
• Liberal use of green leafy vegetables for magnesium content to aid detoxification.
• Anti-inflammatory Smoothie: Dr. Nicole’s Smoothie Recipe drink daily to reduce reactivity to foods you may be allergic or intolerant to, as well as reduce inflammation.
• Cultured Foods: The friendly bacteria in yogurt and other fermented foods are valuable sources of acidophilus and other probiotics needed for healthy gut flora and proper digestion.

Lifestyle Considerations for Psoriasis

• Eliminate stress: a common culprit known to exacerbate symptoms of psoriasis.
• Quit smoking and drinking alcohol. Smoking and drinking alcohol were shown to increase symptoms.
• Lose weight. Obesity is a risk factor for psoriasis.
• Try to avoid injuring the affected area. Studies also show that skin injuries may make your psoriasis worse, which is why it typically shows up on active areas such as elbows, knees, and eyelids. Sunlight was shown to either make psoriasis better or worse. Drugs that increase psoriasis symptoms are lithium, beta blockers, and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and over the counter analgesics).
• Acupuncture and hypnosis may also be beneficial.
• Use a chlorine shower filter, especially if you have psoriasis on your scalp.

Vitamins for Psoriasis

• Vitamin D oral and topical are effective for psoriasis. The topical drug Dovonex is a prescription preparation using vitamin D. Don’t take more than 1000 IU of oral vitamin D daily without being supervised by a physician for potential life threatening conditions such as hypercalcemia that may occur.
• Vitamin A orally and topically is also helpful for psoriasis. Both vitamins A and D play a role with cell differentiation, the same mechanism that prescription pharmaceuticals play a role with.

Fish Oil for Psoriasis

• Fish oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Cod liver oil also contains both vitamins A and D. I typically recommend 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil with food daily. This can be increased to twice daily.
• Cod liver oil should not be used by pregnant women due to high vitamin A content. Fish oils are not recommended for those with bleeding disorders or using anti-coagulant medicines such as Coumadin. Check with your doctor before using fish oil therapeutically. The omega 3 fats in fish oil are very powerful natural medicine for psoriasis. I would opt for the use of fish oil over flax oil unless the patient has ethical or spiritual concerns regarding the use of animal products. Flax oil may be helpful, but it is not nearly as potent as fish oil, nor has it yet been researched for efficacy with this skin disease.

Herbs for Psoriasis

• Capscasin cream synthesized from cayenne peppers is helpful for reducing pain and controlling itching.
• Topically you could also try some aloe vera gel as well as calendula succus (juice) or cream; as both herbs are particularly soothing to most irritating and itchy skin conditions.
• Detox Herbs. Rather than using herbs mechanistically to fight psoriasis, I would opt instead to use them to “Treat the Cause”. Most people with psoriasis have a large toxic burden on their body, as evidenced by the exacerbations caused by smoking and consuming alcohol. Cleaning up the diet and lifestyle is fundamental, herbs to protect the liver and aid the moving out of toxins such as milk thistle, dandelion root, burdock root, yellow dock root, and turmeric should be helpful for addressing the long term big picture of this disease which typically tends to just worsen over time. For those with digestive upset I would also do a course of gut healing herbs such as slippery elm and marshmallow root to address underlying causes such as food allergies.

Research on Psoriasis

• PMID: 10651693; Psoriasis patients with antibodies to gliadin can be improved by a gluten-free diet. Br J Dermatol. 2000 Jan;142(1):44-51.
• PMID: 12949434; Rapid regression of psoriasis in a celiac patient after gluten-free diet. A case report and review of the literature. Digestion. 2003;68(1):9-12. Epub 2003 Aug 29. Review.
• PMID: 9838718; A review of the epidemiology of psoriasis vulgaris in the community.Australas J Dermatol. 1998 Nov;39(4):225-32. Review.
• PMID: 8977698; Cigarette smoking in men may be a risk factor for increased severity of psoriasis of the extremities. Br J Dermatol. 1996 Nov;135(5):859-60. No abstract available.
• PMID: 15346196; Association between alcohol, smoking and HLA-DQA1*0201 genotype in psoriasis.Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2004 Sep;36(9):597-602.
• PMID: 10396014; A pilot study of hypnosis in the treatment of patients with psoriasis.Psychother Psychosom. 1999;68(4):221-5.
• PMID: 15244317; Calcipotriol cream in the treatment of flexural psoriasis.Int J Tissue React. 2003;25(4):127-30.
• PMID: 15018018; Calcipotriol ointment versus cream in psoriasis vulgaris.Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 2003;23(2-3):47-51.
• PMID: 7688774; A double-blind evaluation of topical capsaicin in pruritic psoriasis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993 Sep;29(3):438-42.
• PMID: 10417520; Capsaicin treatment induces histamine release and perfusion changes in psoriatic skin.Br J Dermatol. 1999 Jul;141(1):87-93.
• PMID: 11306830; Phototherapy of psoriasis: comparative experience of different phototherapeutic approaches.Dermatology. 2001;202(2):108-15.
• PMID: 7921757; A double-blind placebo controlled trial of Efamol Marine on skin and joint symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.Br J Rheumatol. 1994 Oct;33(10):954-8.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table to ask the question!

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Foxglove: Poisonous or Life Saving?

Did you know those pink and white “Gnome Hats” lining our roadsides in the Pacific Northwest can either kill you or save your life?

Formally known as Digitalis purpurea, this beautiful plant contains a powerful herbal medicine that saves lives every single day for those with heart disease.

Now, one should never make any medicine on their own with foxglove, as it can kill you. Foxglove is a poisonous plant. However, the poisonous mechanism that the cardiac glycosides from Digitalis exhibit to cause cardiac arrest, actually improve contractility in the heart of those with congestive heart failure.

In small controlled doses, the medicine of this plant has smartly been synthesized by scientists to create the drug Digoxin, a pharmaceutical derivative of Digitalis. Digoxin is used to improve contractility of the heart in those that have congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, and paroxysmal atrial tachycardia.

Anyone doubting that plants contain medicine should in addition avoid the use of prescription pharmaceuticals, as many drugs that we commonly use such as aspirin also originate from nature. If you doubt herbs have medicine in them, then you should doubt the pharmacology of the prescription drugs you take as well.

Try arguing with a willow tree about its salicin and salicylic acid constituents. The salicylic acid found in willow bark was simply synthesized and buffered into “acetyl salicylic acid” which is what we commonly use as the drug “aspirin” for just about everything that ails us. The buffering agent was simply added to protect the stomach lining.

Aspirin is just glorified herbal medicine at its finest! Herbs are the original medicine. Money drives the bottom line behind the domination of pharmaceutical agents used by our country. A willow tree cannot be patented, but a buffered form of its derivative certainly can! Yet another reason why America spends the most money on health care, yet we are still only second to Finland as the unhealthiest people in the world.

*Dr. Nicole looks around, paranoid that she may be offed by a drug rep and their donuts*

Some herbs such as foxglove contain powerful medicines that can do a great deal of harm. But, when used appropriately and with the correct wisdom and intentions, herbs can also do a great deal of help. What we need to do with alternative medicine is quit wasting time arguing about whether or not plants can be used as medicine. Herbalists, scientists, naturopaths, MD’s, and pharmaceutical companies need to instead combine their intelligence to create more helpful drugs such as Digoxin.

If something as common as foxglove growing like a weed around us can save a patient with a weak heart, just think of what kinds of cures for cancer, AIDS, or other incurable diseases that we might be able to develop from the plants around us!

Who knows? Maybe the cure for the common cold is growing in your backyard right now; it has just yet to be discovered.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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What is a Weed?

“The only difference between a flower and a weed is judgment.”

I remember as a child having a hard time understanding what the “bad things” were that grew in our garden.

What were these dreaded things called “weeds” that had my parents in such fits?

“Is this a weed, Mom?” I would constantly ask, paranoid to make a mistake and pull the wrong thing again. Once, you see, I had mistakenly pulled up all the starts my mom had freshly planted; tossed them in the bucket, leaving all the trusty weeds I would in time learn to love as a naturopath behind to proliferate in the ground.

Perhaps I am not a very good mindless laborer, or perhaps I see the beauty of nature a little differently than most. Maybe I was just meant to be a naturopathic physician and spokesperson for the herbs that naturally grow around us.

Did you know that some of the “weeds” you are pulling from your garden are actually medicinal herbs?

For instance in Washington state, “weeds” such as stinging nettles, dandelions, red clover, plantain, cleavers, devil’s club, stinky Bob, and what not all have medicinal values that can be used after the “weed” is pulled from the garden.

So why spray your garden with poisons? Chemicals we once commonly used to kill weeds such as Roundup are shown to cause leukemia and lymphoma. Surely you don’t want to increase your odds of developing cancer by pumping poisons in to your garden? Toxic chemicals that kill weeds also kill us slowly. Pesticides are not just bad for adults, but they are even worse for the pets and children that actively play in them.

Instead of spraying your weeds, sit back and see what weeds grow naturally, and learn to use them as herbal medicines when it is their time to be pulled. Any herbalist will tell you that the best herbs for you are most likely the ones that grow naturally around you. As a naturopath I always watch for this interesting phenomena when visiting friends and family, and have discovered there is a great deal of wisdom to the plants that decide to grow around us.

The St. John’s Wort grows in the depressed person’s yard. The liver cleansing Dandelions grow abundantly in the alcoholics grass. Blood building Nettles abound around those with anemia. The stressed mom has California Poppies and Lemon Balm growing around her for comfort. A family friend fighting cancer has an entire field of red clover strangely growing behind her, and so on and so forth my herbal observations go…

Chances are you don’t need some fancy plant from the rain forest to keep your health in check. Chances are the weeds fighting to grow in your garden are the best thing for you. They simply need a spokesperson like me to “sell them” to you.

So, what is a weed?

True “weeds” in my mind, are typically invasive plants not indigenous to the area they are growing in. Scotchbroom for instance, in Washington state, is an invasive plant that is slowly destroying the ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest as it takes over the terrain everywhere it goes, as is bamboo.

But is this just a game of survival of the fittest? Should we allow invasive weeds to take over?

Doing so actually runs the risk of causing extinction of some of our native species of plants. True invasive weeds are not just wreaking havoc on our marigolds and rose gardens. They are also destroying our habitats and the delicate ecosystem and animals that depend on them.

To learn more about the native ethnobotany of your area, keep your eyes peeled for some herb walks offered locally to learn a new appreciation for the plants that proliferate around you. If you subscribe to my blog and keep up with my articles over time you will also learn how to make friends with all of my favorite plants.

“Love is no hot-house flower, but a wild plant, born of a wet night, born of an hour of sunshine; sprung from wild seed, blown along the road by a wild wind. A wild plant that, when it blooms by chance within the hedge of our gardens, we call a flower; and when it blooms outside we call a weed; but, flower or weed, whose scent and colour are always, wild!”

~John Galsworthy

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table, now go make friends with some weeds!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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When is the Best Time to Take Vitamins?

When should I take my vitamins?

Since B-vitamins can be somewhat activating, it is best to take a multivitamin in the morning or afternoon.

Minerals such as calcium and magnesium that serve as natural muscle relaxants can be taken in the evening to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Vitamins as a general rule are best taken with meals. If you think about it, most vitamins and minerals come from our food, so typically they will be digested and absorbed best in the company of a meal.

If you are in a pinch you can take your multi-vitamin with a small handful of nuts. Fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E, and K require fats to form the “micelles” needed for absorption. Most vitamins also require a little bit of protein in their company to be properly digested and utilized.

Minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc require an acid rich environment in the stomach for best absorption.

I rarely prescribe any nutritional supplements to be taken between meals. Unless specified otherwise, most things will be absorbed and utilized best in the presence of food.

All rules have exceptions of course:

• Take iron, calcium and other minerals separate from each other for optimal absorption. If you are taking these nutrients preventively I would not worry about it as much as if you are using them therapeutically such as to treat osteoporosis or anemia. Divalent cations such as calcium and iron will compete with each other for absorption in the GI tract. Women treating both anemia and osteoporosis should take their iron in the morning with their multivitamin, and take calcium throughout the rest of the day. Problems with multiple mineral digestion may be more of a stomach acid issue.
• Individual amino acid therapies like tryptophan or lysine as the amino acids will compete with other amino acids in your food. Most amino acids used therapeutically are best taken on an empty stomach.
• Supplements designed to reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract are best taken away from food.
• Enzymes used therapeutically for pain reduction such as bromelain should be taken away from food, mainly because the enzymes otherwise will work more on digesting your food than reducing inflammation.

When in doubt, read the label. Most vitamin and supplement manufacturers will conveniently tell you on the label how to best use their product.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table to ask the question!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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What is That White Stuff Flying Around?

The sun is finally shining here in Seattle after a long harsh “Junuary”.

We have endured the storm, and the residual white stuff flying around is actually not snow. Contrary to popular belief we all do not live in a summer snow globe!

That white stuff flying around right now is cottonwood. Although an evil enemy to those with allergies, and the reason so many of us are sneezing right now, cottonwood is a great friend for those with arthritis.

Think of cottonwood like herbal aspirin. Most of the populous species have aspirin like qualities. Traditionally herbalists and Native Americans along the west coast use the sticky resinous buds of the cottonwood plants to make an herbal salve for general aches and pains, disinfectanting and healing wounds.

If your allergies are out of control right now, and you live on the west coast, it is most likely because of the cottonwood and grasses. Remind yourself next May and June to get your preventative plan for allergies together and treat more aggressively during cottonwood season. You can read my full article on treating “Alternative Medicine for Seasonal Allergies” if your allergies are getting to you.

Grass pollens are also high right now. Be sure to wash your hands and face often throughout the day to remove pollen, especially when returning indoors.

Now is the time to increase your quercetin, vitamin C, and freeze dried nettles if you typically use them.

Thanks for stopping by my snow globe…er kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Topical Natural Treaments for Seborrheic Dermatitis, Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Itchy Scalp

Q. What can I use topically for my seborrheic dermatitis?

A. The itchy scalp condition of seborrheic dermatitis, commonly referred to as “dandruff” can be extremely frustrating. The course is typically insidious and tends to worsen over time in adults.

I am not a fan of many topical treatments for skin conditions as a long term plan because it is not “Treating the Cause” of the condition. Long term goals like the improvement of diet and lifestyle are the foundations to any good natural approach to addressing this itchy and frustrating scalp condition.

But, since the question was asked, I will indeed answer it.

The best herbs to use topically for this condition are aloe vera, calendula, grindelia, comfrey, and stellaria to reduce itching. To kill the P. ovale yeast that is typically prevalent with seborrheic dermatitis, you can use anti-fungal herbs such as tea tree oil, rosemary, thyme, and lavender topically in the same manner that prescription pharmaceutical shampoos are used and designed to kill the yeast. A good herbal formula kills the yeast while soothing the itch of the scalp.

The most convenient way to reduce itching on the scalp is with a spray.

Supplies needed from health food store: aloe vera juice, calendula succus (if not available make a very strong calendula tea with the dried herb), tea tree oil, lavender oil, and rosemary oil. In a pinch you can just spray chilled aloe vera juice directly on your scalp as needed throughout the day. Feel free to adjust the following formula as needed.

Dr. NICOLE’S ITCHY SCALP SPRAY

In a twenty ounce spray bottle combine:

• 15 ounces of aloe vera juice (buy food grade).
• 4 ounces of calendula succus (juice) or calendula tea (made VERY strong).
• 15 drops of lavender essential oil.
• 5-10 drops of tea tree oil (start with 5 drops and double if not found to be irritating).
• 5-10 drops of rosemary essential oil (also increase as needed).

Shake the formula each time before using, and store in the refrigerator for the ultimate cooling effect. Spray on your scalp twice daily to kill yeast and reduce itching, or use as needed.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS FORMULA ON BABIES!!!

Rinse your hair immediately if you experience any burning or worsening of symptoms. If your symptoms do not improve, you may opt to increase or double the drops of essential oil in the formula as long as you are tolerant of them and they do not exacerbate your symptoms. Never apply essential oils without diluting first. The essential oils in this formula are serving as anti-fungal agents, lavender additionally soothes itchy skin conditions.

HOW TO USE YOUR OWN HERBS

If you have rosemary, lavender, and thyme growing in your backyard or kitchen window, you can easily make them in to a herbal tea to use as a hair wash, or additionally infuse them in to olive oil as described in my article on “How to Make Rosemary Oil” and apply that to your head twice daily, allowing it to sit for at least 15 minutes. Topical herbal applications should never burn. If so, rinse immediately. Be careful to not get herbal medicines in your eyes.

TOPICAL TREATMENT FOR CRADLE CAP

NEVER use herbal medicines on your baby unless prescribed by their naturopathic pediatrician. Calendula cream and aloe vera, are most likely safe to use topically on babies, but be extremely cautious with newborns and always ask your pediatrician before treating. The best thing to do for cradle cap is to first wash the babies hair with a gentle baby shampoo, and then apply pure olive oil to the baby’s head. Use a fine comb to remove the flakes, and then rinse out the olive oil. Food allergies in the mother may be causing cradle cap. Reseed your babies gut flora with some probiotics such as bifidus or acidophilus, and try investigating food allergies if the problem is persistent. Breast feeding moms can consume biotin rich foods, as research has shown biotin to be beneficial.

DON’T JUST RELY ON TOPICALS

Although topical treatments are helpful for reducing itchy symptoms, be sure to address the internal causes of seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff by reducing junk food in the diet, adding omega 3 oils, reseeding gut flora with the use of acidophilus, reducing stress, and addressing other underlying causes such as food allergies to wheat , dairy, or other foods. For more information on these things you can read my more comprehensive article on “Alternative Medicine for Seborrheic Dermatitis”. Also of benefit would be a chlorine shower filter as chlorine will exacerbate any itchy skin condition.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table to ask the question!

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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The Best Wild Berries to Grow

Berries are super food at its finest! If you have a large backyard you can easily let some berries run wild to help cut organic costs in your kitchen.

Plant them around the perimeter of your property. Harvest them in the summer months and freeze for year round use.

This is a great way to reduce kitchen costs for eating a whole foods, organic diet. Use your berries liberally in smoothies, desserts, or enjoy them on their own. Berries truly are the best friend of the kitchen table!

The pigments in berries are actually shown to become more bio-available with freezing and cooking. An exception to the rule that “fresher is better”.

Berries to let Run Wild:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Huckleberries
• Marionberries
• Gooseberries
• Loganberries
• Salmonberries
• Thimbleberries

Berries are high in proanthocyanins the bioflavanoid pigments that protect our cardiovascular systems from destruction by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Berries are not only delicious; they are the fountain of youth as they prevent heart disease and protect us from inflammation!

From a botanical standpoint, berries naturally have to be full of antioxidants because otherwise they would not be able to protect themselves from the sun. The leaves of the plant use the sun to create energy, but the delicate berries of the plants would be destroyed by the sun if it weren’t for the dark antioxidant pigments that are protective of its harmful rays. Some nature fanatics say you can even use berries as a form of sunscreen (I would only do this in an emergency situation!)

Berries are truly the fountain of youth with an anti-aging program. The high anti-oxidant capacity will surely keep you looking your finest and most fabulous.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

As a naturopath I have learned an appreciation for vegetables, and have had an easier time incorporating them into my diet.

Foods that I once perceived as evil, I actually now regularly eat.

I even eat seaweed!

Often I will read some scientific research on some piece of produce out there and think “Oh, well I guess I can eat that, I had no idea that broccoli was going to do all THAT for me!”

And so my Standard American Diet (SAD) has progressed from tuna casserole, Chef Boyardee, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to vegetables, brown rice, and flaxseeds.

Yes, I was once that annoying child that would sit in nightly combat with their parents over a Brussels sprout.

The rare exceptions that I would willfully eat vegetables were the summer months that my sister and I would spend “foraging” our backyard garden for carrots, green beans, tomatoes, herbs, radishes, raw corn right off the cob, fruit of the season and maybe even a freshly dug potato or two. I always freely ate those vegetables with a certain level of curiosity and adventure that a can of Brussels sprouts could never muster for me at the dinner table.

Personally I think the best way to get most children to eat, enjoy, and appreciate vegetables is to teach them how to grow their own. Growing vegetables is educational, fun and gives children a new found appreciation for food and how much work it takes to get it on their plate.

This is the perfect time to start a fun little gardening project like a children’s vegetable patch. You can even make a pretty decent kid’s garden in a big wooden planter. Simply fill it with fresh organic dirt so you know they will be safe to get their hands really dirty (and maybe their mouths too). Sprout seeds indoors and transfer them out to the patch when they are ready. Involve your kids with each step along the way. To learn more simply read my article on “How to Grow an Organic Kid’s Garden”.

Now most children that get the choice to be responsible for every part of the decision making process from which seeds to purchase, wear to plant, when to pick, and what recipe to make the vegetable in to, will have a tough time not being curious enough to want to sample and enjoy the final project.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table! What is your favorite tip for getting kids to eat healthier?

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™
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Grow an Organic Kid’s Garden

Teaching your kids to grow fruits and vegetables is easy.

In my article on “The Best Way to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables” I discussed the importance of allowing kids to grow their own vegetables.

June is a great time to buy your kids some vegetable starts that will be sure to flourish when planted.

An organic patio garden or several patio gardens placed in key locations; are a great way to keep your kids busy while you are relaxing, working in the kitchen, or doing other outdoor tasks.

Why not put your kids to work and have them help put some food on the kitchen table for a change?

How to Make an Organic Kid’s Garden:

• Find a sunny location where plants are sure to grow.
• For EACH child, buy a large wooden barrel and fill with organic dirt. Don’t use pesticides as your kids will be digging around with their bare hands, and maybe even eating the dirt. Remember playing with dirt is half the fun of their garden. By using a large container, and organic fill dirt, you can easily control the quality of dirt that your children are playing in. Organic dirt is especially important for kids with skin problems, allergies, or asthma.
• Buy starts or sprout your own seeds indoors of tomatoes, green beans, carrots, zucchinis, squash, potatoes, strawberries, herbs and other simple plants that are easy to grow.
• Promote how much fun it is for them to get to water their garden each day! Find them a cute little child size’s watering can. Do watch out for over watering though!
• Make a big deal when they finally grow a vegetable and prepare a special meal with their fruits or veggies.
• Emphasize how delicious fresh tomatoes or strawberries are picked right off the vine!
• Have them weed their own garden each day and hand remove bugs, slugs, and snails.
• Use the opportunity of growing vegetables to teach your kids appreciation for all the work that goes in to producing food, in hopes that they will become less wasteful adults.
• Teach them the botany behind how plants grow, and briefly explain how the plants use energy from the sun to make sugar and chlorophyll.
• If you have more space you can create a larger organic garden for your kids!

For those with more space:

• Plant easy to grow produce for them to tend to like strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, potatoes, carrots, and squash liberally. Make it their “summer project” to grow food for the family to enjoy.
• Build a Green Bean Teepee! Simply take green bean stakes and form them in to the shape of a teepee. Train the green beans to grow up the stakes and by August your kids will have a fun little fort to hide away in!
• Grow a whole apple orchard or plant other trees for them to play hide and go seek in.
• Build a green house for growing peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.
• Make an organic compost bin and teach them about composting and how worms digest plant materials to make dirt.
• Teach them the difference between a “weed and an herb”. Weeds are typically invasive plants. Herbs are “weeds” that have medicinal properties. Common herbs to learn about are dandelions, nettles, red clover, plantain, and cleavers. Honestly though, most weeds are simply herbs once you make friends with them.

Remember that if you have a garden of your own, avoid the use of heavy pesticides and go organic when at all possible. Organic dirt is vitally important for the kids and pets that actively play in your garden.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™
Are Your Vitamins Safe? Read This Free Report
Whole Food Pops 2 for 1 Special

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