McInflammation: Are You Really “Loving It”?

Recently a friend reported over dinner that his inflammatory problem (and let’s just say almost all medical problems are caused by inflammation) was not much better.

He said he was diligently taking everything I had recommended, and had only noted minor improvement.

Although natural remedies take time, I was curious how the dietary recommendations were going….you know, the most important part of his prescription? To no surprise, he was struggling to make the necessary changes.

As I climbed in to his car to head to our next destination I noted the eight bags of fast food littering his car floor.

“Well here is the source of McInflammation in your diet right here!” Read more

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How Coffee Causes Fatigue

Do you Really Need that Afternoon Cup of Coffee?

I will not dispute the fact that many people (me included) simply do better with a nice cozy cup of coffee or tea to start their day. But what I do wonder, is if people really need that afternoon stimulant pick-me-up.

They say in order to ensure a good night’s sleep that one should not consume caffeinated beverages after 2pm. Caffeine in our system leaves us jittery and irritable and unable to engage in sound sleep for the most part. The lack of great sleep one night leads to a groggy morning the following day, which then sets the stage for another drowsy afternoon fueled by caffeine…and the caffeine-sleep pattern perpetuates.

So, you may be intrigued enough at this point to consider giving up your afternoon stimulants, yet may be left wondering “what can I do to treat a bad case of the afternoon slumps”.

When I worked at Virginia Mason we would refer to 4pm as “Slump time”. The nurses would feed me peanut M & M’s which they referred to as “Prozac” to treat my “slumpies”. After making it through Naturopathic Medical School I have learned a few helpful tips better than peanut M & M’s for treating the afternoon slumpies:

First of all PREVENTION is the best medicine, so be sure to eat protein and vegetables for lunch. A high carbohydrate lunch will simply make the slumpies a million times worse. Before reaching for an afternoon cup of caffeine, consider trying the following first: Read more

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

OVERALL PLAN

• Avoid exposure to infectious agents
• Build immune system, lower susceptibility
• Obtain supportive therapies for any concurrent ailments

NUTRITION

• Diet analysis
• Computerized diet analysis
• Therapeutic dietary planning

Home Treatments

• Avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and suspected allergens.
  These all lower the immune response.
• Minimize saturated fat intake.
  Compromises basic metabolic processes.
• Increase raw food consumption.
  More complete nutrients
  Maintain the digestive tract in good condition.
• Eat in a calm environment.
  More complete digestion.
• Supplement with vitamins and minerals
  Strengthens the immune system
  Aids digestion.
• Emphasize ascorbic acid.
  Anti-oxidant
  Anti-allergy
  Anti-viral.
• Emphasize Beta-Carotene.
  Free radical scavenger.
• Emphasize tyrosine.
  Stimulates neuropathways
  Anti-depressant.

BOTANICALS

• Hypericum (St. John’s Wort)
  Antidepressant
  Antiviral
• Glycyrrhiza (Licorice)
  Anti-inflammatory
  Anti-viral
  Adrenal support
• Silybum (Milk Thistle)
  Liver detoxifier, protector
• Eleuthrococcus (Ginseng)
  Adrenal support
  Anti-depressant
• Echinacea (for acute conditions)
  T-cell stimulation
  Interferon stimulation
  Increases macrophages (white blood cells)

PHYSICAL MEDICINE

• Massage
  Relieves stress
• Manipulation
  Reestablishes integrity of nervous system
  Relieves stress
• Constitutional Hydrotherapy
  Stimulates immune system
  Relieves stress
• Fever Treatment
  Stimulates immune system
  Anti-viral

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

• General counseling
  Relieves stress
• Visualization
  Heightens awareness
  Centers focus
• Positive thinking
  Stimulates immune system
  Relieves stress
• Relaxation technique
  Relives stress

HOME TREATMENTS

• Hot/Cold showers
  Stimulates immune system
• Exercise
  Maintains all systems
• Decrease number of responsibilities
  Relieves stress
• Meditation
  Heightens awareness
  Centers focus
  Relieves stress
• Local support groups

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Enhancing Your Vitality

Fatigue, frequent infections, and chronic, conditions, (such as asthma, allergies, skin conditions, headaches, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer) are common occurrences in our culture. If you are experiencing these or other adverse health conditions, your health care provider can work up a health plan specific to your case after taking a complete case history and doing any appropriate physical exam and lab tests. Whether or not you are experiencing any of these, there are measures you can take on your own to treat or prevent ailments, which decrease your vitality. By doing so, you can enhance your sense of well-being and freedom from disease.

DIET
While your nutritionist/dietitian can make a specific dietary plan based on your particular case, some general healthful guidelines are as follows:

• Eat Whole Foods, Especially of Plant Origin Whole foods are excellent sources of nutrients as they occur in nature. This is also a good way to increase fiber intake. Fiber allows normal elimination of waste products through the colon, causing decreased absorption of toxins. Fiber can also bind cholesterol and breakdown products of intestinal bacteria, hastening their departure from the body.
• Eat Fresh Vegetables and Fruits Besides providing fiber as discussed above; these foods are good sources of vitamins and minerals, which are required for enzyme reactions and overall health. They are also sources of carotenes and bioflavonoids, which scavenge free radicals, preventing tissue damage, inflammation, cancer, migraines, arthritis, vascular disease, etc.
• Drink lots of water 2 liters (64 oz) of water per day keeps cells hydrated and speeds up the removal of waste products from the body.
• Avoid Sugar Sugar depresses the immune system and competes with Vitamin C for uptake by white blood cells.
• Avoid Processed Foods Between the food additives and the decreased nutrients, they not only provide inferior nutrition, but may also have damaging effects.
• Avoid Foods to Which You Suspect You Are Allergic In addition to creating mucus, drowsiness, gas, etc., it is clearly compromising to the body to be repeatedly exposed to substances it can’t tolerate. In addition, these foods can cause asthma, eczema, arthritis, migraines, and other chronic conditions as well as susceptibility to acute infections.

LIFESTYLE:
Avoid Caffeine: Caffeine causes increased secretion of adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) from the adrenal glands, which suppresses the immune system. Coffee also irritates the digestive system, causing food to move through more quickly and decreasing nutrient absorption.

Stress Reduction: Living with less stress not only feels better, but there are concrete explanations for its effect on overall health. Stress decreases the body’s ability to fight infections. Stress also impairs digestion. Life is meant to be fulfilling and enjoyable. Yet it is so common in our culture to feel overwhelmed by life situations. If stress is a major part of your life and you feel you have no options, consult an emotional and/or occupational counselor. Living with an unpleasant situation can not only decrease your happiness, but can impair your overall health, contributing to conditions as serious as high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers, etc. Conversely, laughter and enjoyment increase immunity as well as well-being.

Avoid Alcohol: Alcohol suppresses immune function. In addition, in order to detoxify the body of alcohol, it places quite a load on the liver, impairing its ability to participate in its other functions, including energy production.

Avoid Tobacco: Tobacco not only damages the tissue of the respiratory system with which it comes in contact, but it also creates free radicals which damage tissue elsewhere, especially blood vessels, allowing the buildup of cholesterol plaque, causing the condition called atherosclerosis, or hardening/narrowing of the arteries. The cancer causing agents in tobacco increases the risk of cervical cancer. Smoking also depresses the immune system and causes Vitamin C deficiency. It is a source of carbon monoxide, a toxin to the body.

EXERCISE:
Exercise increases respiration and circulation. Thus, more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the tissue and waste products are removed more quickly. Exercise also relieves stress and enhances well-being. Note: For many patients, it may be advisable to consult one’s health care provider for guidance in designing an exercise program if not already accustomed to exercise.

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The work place stretching routine

Sitting at a desk all day long creates a hunched over posture, which typically results in upper back and neck pain. The reason for this is that the muscles on the back side of the neck and upper back become chronically stretched throughout the day. A muscle can only stretch for so long before it will begin to spasm. By stretching out the muscles on the front side of the body such as the neck and pecs you can give the tight muscles on the backside a break.

A simple routine involves doing several sets of neck rolls twice daily, along with a few breaks a day to do “doorway stretches” . You can do a simple doorway stretch by standing slightly in front of a doorway with both hands placed slightly above shoulder height on the trim of the door. Now lunge forward until you feel a nice stretch in your pecs and the front crease of your armpits. Take some deep breaths and hold for at least 10 seconds. Keep in mind it takes at least 10 seconds for a muscle to relax. Taking a few moments throughout your work day to take care of yourself will not only help you feel better but should also enhance your overall productivity.

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A quick deep breathing exercise…

Most people are constantly busy and on the go, attaching stress management practices to everyday occurrences is not only practical, but serves as a reminder to RELAX throughout the day.

You can easily check in with yourself during boring times of your day such as a long work meeting, standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting on hold on the phone.

A simple breathing exercise to start with is called “Square Breathing”. First sit quietly, and remove outside distraction if possible. Gently clasp your hands in your lap. Now breathe in slowly to the count of five, hold your breath to the count of five, exhale slowly to the count of five, and then pause before repeating this sequence to the count of five. Repeat this sequence five times, or as many times as needed until a calmer state is achieved. Oftentimes we do not realize how stressed out we are until we take a few minutes to quietly check in with how we are feeling. The body does not function optimally while under stress, implementing simple relaxation tools should not only improve your attitude, but also help you experience a better state of health.

Wow don’t you feel better now?

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Are you tired and stressed?

One of my favorite herbs for patients that are struggling from fatigue and excess stress is Ashwaganda, formally known as Withania somnifera. With so many people tired and stressed these days I am going to have to vote ashwaganda the best herb of 2007!

The root of this plant is best for those feeling very frazzled and in need of a nervous system re-set. Ashwaganda is helpful especially for individuals that are extremely agitated.

If you know someone that is difficult to be around you might want to sneak a little of this herb in to them (just kidding instead refer them to this article).

For those experiencing stress without fatigue trying an herb such as Schisandra may be more beneficial. Ashwaganda as an added bonus supports the immune system, is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and also helpful for those with impotence.

According to Naturopathic theory one should notice the effects of this herb within three days, feel a restoration of their well being after three weeks, and should no longer need to take the herb after three months. Hopefully once that three month period is up, better coping mechanisms for stress management have been implemented!

Source: “Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth” by Sharon Tilgner, ND

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