By Dr. Nicole Sundene

As I promised in my article, “It’s Hair Growing Season People!” we are all growing our hair out for Wigs for Kids (they only need 8”)! So I am going to talk about the best natural medicines for growing healthy, strong, shiny hair, super fast. After all we want those wigs looking good!

Spring and Summer are the best hair growing seasons, so to optimize the hair growing season let’s talk about the things that make hair grow FAST!

First and foremost Chinese Medicine considers hair the ”glory of the kidneys,” and what that crazy talk means is that your hair is an excess of your total well-being.

“Kidney chi” is our “energetic bank” in Chinese Medicine, and if our energetic bank is all dried up, then there is not much left over for such frivolties as hair! Think about it. The healthiest people naturally look beautiful.Second and most importantly, I would like to just say FLAXSEEDS, FLAXSEEDS, FLAXSEEDS! If you get nothing from this discussion on how to grow your hair faster, then just visit my article, “How to Unleash Your Inner Fabulosity!” and follow the instructions on adding 1-3 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds to your daily routine. You can do up to three tablespoons twice daily if you are a flax seed fanatic like me.

On the advice of my vet, since fish oil gives my dog the runs, I now give my Golden Retriever freshly ground flaxseeds and in just a week his coat became shiny, less itchy, and the bare patches filled in (normally this time of year he pulls his hair out like a mad man.

Thirdly we want to have PROTEIN. Flaxseeds are a great source of omega 3 oils and protein, but I would also drink a protein smoothie a day; you can add your flaxseeds to the smoothie as I recommend in my “Favorite Smoothie Recipe.”

Omega Up! If you are doing the flaxseeds hard core, you are getting enough omega 3’s to ensure shiny strong hair, if not, then try a tablespoon of fish or flax oil daily (no cod liver oil for pregnant women because the vitamin A is a teratogen.)

Multivitamin: B-vitamins are crucial to hair growth as nearly the whole B family plays a role in hair growth.

Multimineral: A mineral rich diet is important for healthy hair growth. I like the Tri-Boron Plus by Twinlab, or visit this page or your local health food store for other high quality recommendations.

Biotin: Your multivitamin may not contain that much biotin so check the label and see if you are getting the RDA.

Skip the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate! A known carcinogen and skin irritant, look for SLS free shampoo’s.

Skip the daily shampooing! You can still rinse your hair every day and condition it, but daily shampooing is stripping your scalp of essential oils. This saves not just your hair, but your water and shampoo bill. See? You can afford that more expensive SLS free shampoo after all now….No excuses, organic isn’t really that much more expensive when you look at it as a whole.

Get a trim! Don’t forget to get a bit trimmed off your hair every couple of months (another great way to save money in these tough economic times.)

Try some handstands! Even if you aren’t a gymnast, you can still hang your head off the edge of the bed to increase blood flow to the scalp periodically throughout the day, or you can do some extra downward dogs if you are a yoga fiend like me.

Rosemary and Mint! The invigorating herbs of the Laminacea family bring more circulation to your scalp as I just talked about in the above handstand blurb. Rosemary has been associated with improving hair growth for quite some time.

You can try some of the shampoos available at eVitamins or your local health food store, or buy rosemary essential oil and add a few drops to your favorite shampoo. Start with 1-2 drops and then work up to about 5-10 drops of the pure essential oil (remember never apply any essential oil straight to the skin unless it is lavender.)

Silica! Horsetails have long been touted as hair growing herbs because of their high silica content; unfortunately as our soil becomes more toxic, I don’t feel comfortable using them unless they are certified organic. The reason for this is that they suck up minerals like silica from the soil along with toxic heavy metals such as cadmium and arsenic. I would instead ensure my multi-mineral formula contains about of silica.

Don’t OD on vitamins and minerals! Remember, we can only absorb so much and selenium toxicity, for instance, is associated with hair loss when we get up to the 1000mcg range.

Have a hair growing tip? Feel free to leave it in the comments section.

Related reading:

Acupuncture, Acupuncture, Acupuncture!

Dying to Look Good

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

Chlorine Shower Filter

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Tags: aura cacia, Cancer, eVitamins, hair growth, lavender, mint, rosemary, wen, wigs for kids

Letting Go: Danny Gokey American Idol

May 20, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Counseling, Kitchen Sink, Life Coaching, Lifestyle Tips, Naturopathic Theory, Preventative Medicine

3 Comments

Author: Dr. Nicole Sundene

Last week on American Idol, many of us assumed it would be Danny vs Adam in the final showdown, until he was eliminated in a sudden and heart wrenching moment.

Tonight on American Idol we finally determine the Idol of season eight! Will it be Adam or will it be Kris?

I had been rooting for Danny since his very first audition, there was something undeniabably special about him….but it was a tough season.

Probably the best American Idol has ever had, and the Kindergarten Teacher inside of me wants to announce everyone as a winner!

I wasn’t just voting for youth pastor Danny because of his amazing voice, but because of his perseverance. His wife had died suddenly of congestive heart failure a month before the competition started; “Tragedy turned in to Triumph,” as Danny refers to it.

A friend passed along the information for the foundation created for Danny’s wife, Sophia’sHeart.org, and thought it would make for good kitchen table talk. She recommended reading his blog post telling how he was managing to cope with the severe depression brought on by the sudden death of his wife weeks before one of America’s biggest competitions.

“I felt like I had to put on a face for everybody to cover what was really going on inside. Deep down inside, I felt there was not hope for me and I really wanted to die. If I had not dealt with this, it probably could have somehow or someway took me out. So, I began pray and cry out to God for help and I believe I found the answer.

The answer I found was exactly this; “let go” or “cause yourself to let go”. I admit that answer was not appealing to me because I found no justice in it, and most of all it didn’t instantly remove any pain. But I knew that if I continued down this road it would have a price that I could never afford to pay.

You see, the cost of hanging on to the bitterness and anger was actually much greater than the cost of simply letting go. I was very reluctant to do it. At times it was hard and I literally had to cause myself (force myself) to let go. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting about Sophia but does mean releasing the toxic emotions tied to the situation.”

I have a lot of admiration for someone who can pick themselves up and go on, anyone going through troubled times should take a few minutes to read the insightful blog post on his battle with depression and “letting go” of his wife’s unexpected death. So many of us hold on to everything….we carry around all this baggage from our past and our childhood.

I talk to patients that have been in counseling for years and they sit down and tell me everything that is wrong with them, they bring all these “labels” with them, they blame it all on their parents, or their molester, or their rapist, or their child hood bully, or their father’s death, or that they didn’t get enough attention as a child, they say, “I’m this way because someone else did ____________ to me,” and so forth.

They refuse to let it all go, instead they cling to their core hurts and core wounds, and as a doctor who believes in the mind/body/spirit of medicine….I know they will never be better until they forgive and let go.

Sometimes we have to forgive our abuser, sometimes we have to forgive our parents…. After all they are just human beings too, not demi-Gods…. I know BREAKING NEWS!!!

Let Danny Gokey be a remarkable example of “Letting Go” and trusting Life/God, however you choose to see it.

Even after his elimination he said, “What affirms me as an artist is… [my fans] because week after week they voted…and that shows me they believe in me and that they see something inside of me,” Danny said. “I want to tell them I love them, and I think that they’re the best out there.” Danny continues, “I was a nobody, and this show turned me into a somebody, and I’ll always be thankful for the roots that I came out of because I do believe that the best is yet to come for me, that this is not the end of the road. I’m just very grateful. I’m so thankful my life has turned around, and I can’t say it enough.” (Source)

Today’s Question: What in your life do you need to let go of? Anger, hatred, bitterness, guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, sadness? Are you tired of carrying around all that baggage? May is weight loss month and it is time for us to lose some weight. Let’s start with our own baggage.

Let’s be reminded by the strength of Danny Gokey that sometimes we just have to “let go.”

For more information on how Danny intends to use his gift for future fundraising endeavors visit: SophiasHeart.org.

If you are holding on to something and need to let go….find a rock and carry it around with you for a while, let the rock become the symbol of the thing that you need to let go of.

Squeeze the heat of your anger from your hands into it, cry your tears on it, let it rest on the place in your heart that hurts for a while, keep it in your pocket everywhere you go, or at least try to.

The attempt will remind you what a burden hanging on to this baggage from the past is.

Sleep with it under your pillow….and eventually realize that this rock is weighing you down….this rock needs to be let go. Then take some time down at a special place and throw that rock far into water.

Let go of the pain, let go of the past. Live in the present, don’t live in the past.

We cannot change the past, but we can change how the past affects us today.

Just don’t throw any suitcases in the ocean, or hit any birds or ducks on your therapeutic mission.

~Dr. Nicole

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Tags: american idol, Counseling, danny gokey, death of a loved one, grief, let go, letting go, widow

Doctors Fighting in Washington D.C. to Support H.Con.Res.58!

May 2, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Lifestyle Tips, Press Releases, Preventative Medicine

2 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

If you want to see health care reform, and if you blog for health care reform, please re-post the following press release on your website, share with friends, family, and well…everyone that will listen! You can even include my introductory spiel, or make your own. Please just share the word!

Doctors are fighting to reform health care in America!!!

We are doing this for YOU! For your children! For your children’s children. We are doing this for the well being of America…the 2nd most unhealthy country only second to Finland….while we just so happen to spend the MOST on health care….hmmmm….why is that?!?!??!

How can you help Dr. Nicole and friends fight the Kitchen Table Medicine fight? Just pass on this info to those that are in Washington D.C. or join them!

Write your congress and let them know that preventive medicine treatments, consultations, and education are IMPORTANT to you. After all, the Latin root for the word “doctor” is “docere” meaning….to teach.

We want to teach you how to be healthy. We want to teach you how to live without unnecessary medications. We want to teach you how to be the best version of you possible.

Thanks so much for passing along the following press release, and helping us fight the fight to offer Americans the finest health care! We want you to have every option available as we revise the current health care system. But we need your input. We need you to write your local congress, to congregate with those in Washington D.C. and let your government officials know that the well being of our nation is important to you and your family.

As a physician, I believe the health care crisis will never be reformed until we fix the crisis at our Kitchen Tables and we need fine doctors, and nurse educators PAID to coach you to a whole food diet and lifestyle. We need acupuncturists, chiropracters, masssage therapists, all working as a team with your MD and naturopathic physician. Why are these “premium” modalities not part of every insurance plan? Why don’t you have access to the information you need? Why is organic food SO expensive but refined crap is readily accessible and CHEAP. Why is the health care crisis I read about in the newspaper at my grandmother’s obituary from 1976 (reporting her as the first female bartender in Olympia) not improved but worsened? We are not headed in the right direction people. We are going the WRONG WAY.

Why are we worried about the Swine Flu so much when 1 in 3 adults will develop adult diabetes, and if the current trends in America continue then 1 in 2 children born TODAY will end up with diabetes. If you have two children that means that statistically one of them could end up with diabetes, unless you model healthy whole food eating and lifestyle NOW.

For every $1 a healthy person costs our health care system a diabetic costs $13….now I am no mathematician….but how are we going to reform health care if we don’t start with a whole foods diet and lifestyle? How are we not going to be in an economic crisis when 50% of Americans have diabetes?

Being healthy really isn’t that hard:

80% Whole Foods + 20% Who Cares = Disease Prevention

You can do it! I believe in you. Thanks for sharing my message and helping improve preventive medicine legislation.

~Dr. Nicole

KitchenTableMedicine.com
************************************************************************************************************************

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Jenna Huntsberger
(202) 237-8150 jenna.huntsberger@naturopathic.org

Naturopathic Medicine Supporters Advocate For Health Care System Based On Wellness, Disease Prevention, And Natural Medicine:

More than 100 naturopathic doctors and supporters will descend on Capitol Hill Monday, May 4, to advocate for an overhaul of the nation’s health care system. Advocates from across the country will ask their Members of Congress to support H.Con.Res.58, a resolution that would transform the health care system from one that manages disease to one rooted in prevention, health promotion, and wellness.

“The health care system must address the underlying factors that lead to chronic disease,” says Karen Howard, Executive Director of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. “Nearly forty percent of all U.S. deaths are from heart disease, and more than two thirds of Americans are overweight. Clearly, the current system doesn’t do enough to prevent these costly health conditions. We need to move past this broken model and create a system that focuses on overall health, wellness, and enabling the body’s natural healing process.”

Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability.

Naturopathic doctors teach their patients to use lifestyle changes and cutting-edge natural therapies to enhance the body’s ability to ward off and combat disease.

Naturopathic doctors craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches to not only treat disease, but also to restore health.

“Today, our definition of ‘wellness’ is limited to drug screening, vaccinations, and other preventative strategies such as drug therapy,” continues Howard. “But we drastically undervalue how changing behavior can prevent disease. If the nation is to move past the current health care crisis, we must adopt a patient-centered health care model that will restore and maintain optimal health.”

The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is a professional association strives to make naturopathic medicine available to every American, and to increase recognition of naturopathic physicians as the identified authorities on natural medicine. Our members include accredited schools of naturopathy, students, physicians, and individual and corporate supporters, participating independently or though 40 state-level affiliate organizations. Learn more at www.naturopathic.org

Jenna Huntsberger

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

4435 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 403

Washington, D.C. 20016

Phone: (202) 237-8150; Toll-Free: (866) 538-2267; Fax: (202) 237-8152

Email: Jenna.huntsberger@naturopathic.org

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Tags: Health Care, health care crisis, health care reform, health reform, natural medicine, naturopathic medicine

Is the Swine Flu Really a “Pandemic?”

April 29, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Colds/Flus, Kitchen Sink, Lifestyle Tips, Reader Questions

25 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

“Tamiflu!!!! I want Tamiflu NOW NOW NOW!!!!”

~Shouted at a Telephone Triage Nurse Yesterday

For those of you that are new readers to Kitchen Table Medicine, please keep in mind that I have been described to have a “very dry” if not “seriously warped” sense of humor.

So if you want the boring ol’ facts about “The Swine Flu Pandemic” visit my fav site www.CDC.gov, as that is precisely where I ascertained the following medical opinions.

I put the preamble there because I got busted joking around on Twitter by a doctor friend for saying, “it’s just diarrhea people.” On Twitter I follow many nurses, doctors, infection control, the CDC, and so forth.

Everyone has their opinion and the general consensus is that we need to practice standard precautions to prevent this from becoming the “Pandemic” the news is purporting it to be.

I understand the deaths associated with this disease, however, I also understand the disease, and the likelihood that you will get it, and that is what I would like to discuss today– the real non-hyped facts to alleviate panic on this “pandemic.” The news needs news, but what you need are facts. So let’s talk about the facts, educate ourselves on the symptoms, and know what exactly we need to do.

First of all let’s get some perspective on this “Swine Flu National Epidemic,” as 227 people died in America from deer related car crashes in 2007. Also, 1.5 million humans experienced deer related traffic accidents causing an estimated $1.1 billion in vehicle damages. (Source)

Yet are we declaring “Deer a National Epidemic?” Are we slaughtering deer left and right? (Which they are doing with pigs in Egypt unnecessarily!) Is the news reporting every five seconds on the latest person to die from crashing in to a deer?

No.

Because that is just not that interesting, and deer are so cute. Pigs may be filthy, and they may be the original host of this virus, but eating their products will not make you sick according to the CDC.

The news thrives on panic, drive by shootings, celebrity tragedies and similar daunting fear factories.

So far, one child in America has died of the Swine Flu, and my heart goes out to that family.

The very old, the very young, and those that are immunocompromised (will discuss below) are at the highest risk of death from the Swine Flu. Everyone else is just likely going to get a bad stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sweating, chills, and a cough. Spring is always diarrhea season. The Swine Flu may be a new spring antigen, but if you are a HCP that follows health trends you know what I’m talking about.

Now is NOT the perfect time to start maxing out all your credit cards, but if ever it is the perfect day to call in sick to work! If you are symptomatic you should not be in an office setting regardless of the etiology and your doctor will certainly be happy to write you a note excusing you. If your child is symptomatic keep them out of school until they are better. School after all is just formatting their brains to think like everyone else.

As my parents and I watched the initial breaking news on The Swine Flu, I said to my Dad, “Sure seems like this Swine Flu is being over-hyped by the news,” to which he laughed, “Well Nicole isn’t that the goal of the news? To over-hype everything?” Now that all news reporters hate me….

First of all let’s all not panic, second of all let’s do the most important thing and become aware of the facts about The Swine Flu. Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms so that you can obtain the necessary medical care and QUARANTINE YOUR SELF.

Something you should do anyways anytime you are sick.

OF SECOND IMPORTANCE, PLEASE CALL YOUR DOCTOR’S NURSE FIRST AND DISCUSS THE SYMPTOMS YOU ARE EXPERIENCING BEFORE ENTERING A MEDICAL FACILITY CONTAINING SICK, ELDERLY, AND PEDIATRIC PATIENTS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY DIE FROM THE SWINE FLU!!!

So let me don my old white Dansko nursing clogs and talk about the facts vs fears. Let’s be sensible. My former hospital co-workers said they are getting really sick of answering all the frantic calls they are receiving in the nursing triage room.

One of the RN’s I used to work with said yesterday, “Honestly Nicole, I think I had a mild case of this last week. I think the news is over-hyping it and scaring our patients, everyone wants Tamiflu and they don’t even need it. We need to save the meds for the people that truly need it. Lack of meds for those that actually need them is my greatest concern at this point.” I couldn’t agree more whole heartedly with nurse Judy.

The following is the Swine Flu FAQ I told my parents at their kitchen table as we watched the news:

AM I GOING TO DIE FROM THE SWINE FLU?

From a personal standpoint as a vibrantly healthy 33 year old woman I could only be so lucky as to die from the Swine Flu, instead I will be working for another 40 years to pay off my FAFSA med student loans and making social security money for my parents and all their friends. *wink*

On a serious note, lets imagine that the Swine Flu is very similar to it’s cousin “Influenza”, 30,000 people die annually from influenza due to secondary complications such as dehydration and pneumonia. It is not really the virus that kills you; it is the development of secondary symptoms.

So, “A stitch in time saves nine,” if you think you have the symptoms of the Swine Flu. Stay at home, rest, rehydrate, and tell people to be nice to you. Call your nurse and review your symptoms to determine if an appointment is prudent.

Remember that anytime you have symptoms that are extreme with the flu, if you are not improving after 24-72 hours (influenza is 7-10 days), if you have blood in your stool or vomit, you need to call your nurse.

Quick test for dehydration: pinch the back of your hand and if the skin stays pinched….you are dehydrated. If it falls back down, you likely are not dehydrated. You can do this on the back of your baby’s neck too.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE SWINE FLU?

Straight from the CDC: The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

SWINE FLU IS IT REALLY AN “EPIDEMIC?”

The first thing my family asks me the second they see something health related on the news is….is this true? Is this really an epidemic? Well actually it is a “pandemic” meaning that it is a global concern. My official answer though is that that news as usual is just hyping things up because, well that is what they do, and they need stories that will scare the heck out of people in order to keep them watching.

President Obama is not a HCP, he is simply conveying messages from the CDC or FDA and demonstrating that he is concerned by this, and that he is ultimately in charge of the welfare of all Americans. Instead of panicking let’s educate ourselves on the signs and symptoms to prevent this now pandemic. Those in third world countries are at far greater risk than those in industrialized nations.

WHAT IS THE SWINE FLU?

Straight from the CDC: “Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.”

Basically, the Swine flu is a mutant form of Influenza A, the virus that some of us get vaccinated from each year. The Swine Flu proves my point that viruses are constantly mutating as discussed by terms such as “antigenic drift” and “antigenic shift” this means that in order to survive and evolve the virus must continue to change it’s DNA or RNA sequence.

This is why we currently don’t have a cure for HIV, because it mutates faster than any other virus and also hides within the very immune system cells that should be killing it. This is also why the influenza vaccine each year is only an “educated guess” at best.

WHO SHOULD REALLY BE WORRIED ABOUT SWINE FLU?

Persons that are immunocompromised or live with those that are immunocompromised. Persons that have recently visited Mexico or have recently interacted with someone that has recently visited Mexico, or another area where outbreaks have been documented.

“Immunocomopromised” means that your immune system is not as healthy as the average bear and thus you are likely to die from something like the Swine Flu: Those with chronic diseases involving the heart and lungs, diabetics, organ transplant patients on immunosuppressants, the very young, the very old, and person’s that are not in exceptional health should take extra precautions as per usual.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK I HAVE THE SWINE FLU?

First call your family practice nurse to review your symptoms and determine if an appointment is prudent, before entering a hospital where immunocompromised individuals congregate.

Our typical nursing telephone triage rule with colds/flus is that we almost NEVER want to see you in the office if you have the stomach flu because #1 there is nothing we can do for you unless you need an IV, and #2 We don’t want our patients exposed to it, nor do we want to be barfed on ourselves (yes I have been barfed on many times.) When you are not improving with self care is when you need to see your doctor. There I just saved everyone $300 dollars!

AM I PROTECTED IF I HAD A FLU SHOT THIS YEAR?

You may in fact be partially protected if you had a flu shot this year, however as I stated in my article questioning the ethics of “Employer Mandated Flu Vaccine Programs,” researchers are only making a highly educated guess on the viral particles included in each year’s flu vaccine, because Influenza rapidly mutates, and eventually YES we will see a PANDEMIC of much greater proportions than the Swine Flu when we see a LARGE shift in viral genetic make up. And I’m not talking about viral cosmetics….but you can think about it that way if it helps you understand how viruses use tactics to “cover up” and evade the immune system.

WHAT SHOULD CLINICIANS DO IF THEY SUSPECT SWINE FLU?

A simple sample can be obtained and sent to the CDC for examination.

HOW CAN I PREVENT MYSELF FROM GETTING ILL FROM SWINE FLU?

Enhance your immune system with supplements such as vitamin A 5000 IU (not for pregnant women, and don’t dose this high without the consent from your naturopathic doctor), zinc (typical adult dose is about 15-30 mg daily), vitamin C 500 mg 3 times daily, The Immune Support Diet, and Immune Support Breakfast.

I would also go to Target and buy some natural Cleanwell antiviral handsoap and handspray for my family (made naturally from thyme and aloe vera and shown to even kill MRSA! The laminaceae family…lavender…oregeno…and so forth rock!) Do your best to avoid infected persons, and PLEASE STAY HOME if you have the aforementioned symptoms to prevent further spread in the community. I’m sure your doctor will be happy to write you a note.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR THE SWINE FLU?

Oral rehydration, oral rehydration, and oral rehydration!!! Electrolytes, electrolytes, electrolytes!!!! REST REST REST!!! Most importantly, tell people to be nice to you. The most important thing to address with this illness is that you do not get dehydrated. If you are throwing up and can’t keep anything down then you need an IV.

My vomiting protocol for oral rehydration is 1 tsp of electrolyte fluid doubled every fifteen minutes (Sports drinks, diluted juices with a pinch of organic sea salt, Recharge, E-mergenc, etc.) If the patient cannot even keep this down….they need an IV STAT. Better to be safe than sorry.

CAN I GET THE SWINE FLU FROM PIGS?

No. Personally I don’t eat pork, but if you want to sausage it up, don’t let the Swine Flu stop you.

And this slaughtering of all pigs in Egypt is simply ridiculous!

Did you know that pigs are smarter than some people? Pigs are the fourth smartest mammals: Humans, primates, whales/dolphins….PIGS!!! It is estimated that they likely have the intelligence of a three year old human being.

SHOULD I WEAR A MASK?

No. A mask likely won’t protect you as transmission is from close contact or “Oral-Fecal Transmission” similar to most causes of gastroenteritis such as adenovirus and rotavirus. We get these types of bugs because people don’t wash their hands after they go potty and then they eat, touch their face, etc.

DO I NEED ANTIVIRAL DRUGS?

PLEASE don’t belabor the point that you need these drugs if your physician does not find it necessary, although laboratory testing has found the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir.

The CDC has issued interim guidance for the use of these drugs to treat and prevent infection with swine influenza viruses; this does not necessarily mean you need these meds to treat symptoms similar to the Swine Flu such as the common cold, strep throat, allergies, food poisoning, or whatever else you might be sick with this time of year!

Health Care Provider’s are becoming increasingly concerned that we may experience a shortage of these medications if this “pandemic” were to transform in to a true state of emergency.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE ON SWINE FLU

The Swine Flu just proves my point with the “Soil and Seed” model of medicine we talked about with the latest salmonella outbreak. Keep yourself as healthy as possible. The less healthy you are the more severe your flu symptoms will likely be. Most healthy individuals I have consulted with experiencing mild symptoms may in fact have the swine flu and it is best that they quarantine. But they do say that even if the most deathly virus- Ebola became airborne that still 10% of the population would manage to survive. So let’s not panic.

Furthermore, there is nothing really wrong with being sick every now and then.

Think of diarrhea and vomiting as nature’s detox. You can do a Spring Cleaning on your own or wait for nature to give it to you in the form of spring diarrhea.

SHOULD THE SWINE FLU STOP ME FROM TRAVELING TO MEXICO RIGHT NOW?

Personally the last place I would go right now is Mexico. I am scared enough to travel in a country where I don’t speak the language, or am not close to adequate medical care. I live two miles from the hospital, so frankly Dr. Nicole is staying put.

SHOULD THE SWINE FLU STOP ME FROM TRAVELING INSIDE THE US?

Well that is a tougher question, I guess I would decide that on a case by case basis. Personally I wouldn’t go camping or backbacking out in the middle of nowhere right now. I’ve been in situations like that when someone gets extremely sick, and it ruins the trip for everyone. Ask yourself a few questions… Is it necessary for you to travel?

Because airplanes are one of the best places to get infected with the latest thing going around, I wouldn’t travel unless it was necessary (like for vacation *wink*) If I were traveling to a place in the US that is near a hospital for my vacation, I would go. If it were a business meeting type of thing, I would use it as an excuse to get out of it! If I were symptomatic with the aforementioned symptoms, I would do the right thing and quarantine myself regardless.

Here is a Google map tracking the spread of this “swine flu”. For live updates, just click the pic.

Visit the Center for Disease Control for resources sited and for more info: CDC.gov

HAVE A HEALTH TIP TO SHARE IN THE COMMENTS TO PROTECT FROM SWINE FLU?

Please also share your opinions, if you disagree with me you are more than welcome to debate your position as long as it follows standard High School debate team protocol.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole
Official Anti-News Source for The Swine Flu.

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Tags: h1n1, swine flu, swine flu info, swine flu pandemic, swine flu prevent, the swine flu

Scientists Urging Obama to End Natural Medicine Research?

March 19, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Preventative Medicine

9 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Please contact your local congress if you want to help support natural medicine research that is currently at risk, and while you are at it, please tell Presdent Obama that he should include preventative medicine providers such as Naturopaths, Chiropracters, Acupuncturists, and so forth in his new “Universal” health care plan.

Although President Obama has the right idea with focusing on prevention, he is unfortunately being advised to not include all the people who can actually make disease prevention happen. Ironically, preventative medicine has never been at a greater risk than this exact moment - a time that Obama is working to create this Universal Health Plan that got my vote because it was supposedly “focused on disease prevention.”

Recently I read this article “Critics Object to Pseudoscience Center,” and it had me in such fits I could barely restrain myself from screaming out loud when I realized that all the progress in natural medicine research we have been fighting for may be wiped out:

“The impending national discussion about broadening access to health care, improving medical practice and saving money is giving a group of scientists an opening to make a once-unthinkable proposal: Shut down the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. ”

First of all, the research examples cited are not properly demonstrating all the different natural medicine studies the NIH has granted. Second of all, unless you are a doctor you have NO right to decide what is best for the condition of other human beings. Scientists only know their focus of interest. Most aren’t trained to see the big picture unless they end up in medical school.

“Salzberg suggested that NCCAM be defunded on an electronic bulletin board that the Obama transition team set up to solicit ideas after November’s election. The proposal generated 218 comments, most of them in favor, before the bulletin board closed on Jan. 19.”

Salzberg and similar scientists have a very focused understanding of human physiology, and as a former biochemistry student in undergrad, I can personally attest to that fact, although highly over-educated at the time, I still understood science only on a very focused level.

As a biochemist, I understood the human condition in a series of mathematical equations, and biochemical formulas that basically add very little to understanding the complex machine of the human body as a whole.

Are you a mathematical equation? Are you a biochemical formula? I certainly hope not. You are a human being.

Just because someone knows how to change some spark plugs doesn’t mean they know how to build a car.

The scientists urging Obama to end CAM (complementary alternative medicine) research with the NIH (National Insititute of Health) has absolutely ZERO understanding of the human health condition unless he has an MD, DO, RN, or ND behind his name, and to my knowledge Salzberb is a human genetics researcher, not a doctor. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I would even be happy if this scientist was at least an RN, but he isn’t, and to my knowledge has NO actual medical training outside of a deep understanding of human genetics. What makes this person have the right to dictate what research is conducted in health care when they haven’t worked in the trenches of primary care?

Why should President Obama even consider taking health care system advice from someone that works on gene research and knows absolutely nothing about human health in the big picture?

“With a new administration and President Obama’s stated goal of moving science to the forefront, now is the time for scientists to start speaking up about issues that concern us,” Steven Salzberg, a genome researcher and computational biologist at the University of Maryland, said last week. “One of our concerns is that NIH is funding pseudoscience.”

Frankly, in my opinion at this prudent juncture, “pseudoscience” is wasting millions of dollars on gene research that will not make a significant difference in the lives of human beings for several generations out.

After medical school and eight years of working in family practice care throughout as a medical assistant, I have learned that prevention is the key to a highly functioning health care system, as I stated in my recent article, “Is Your Body a Money Pit?”

The CAM approach is really the only way to prevent your body from falling apart. Drugs are band-aids. Gene research is the research that should be THROWN OUT! Do we really need gene research? No, we need PREVENTION.

Gene research is an unnecessary expense and is pseudoscience in itself. Gene research is maybe the medicine of the future for elitists but will likely not solve the health care issues of “Joe the Plumber.” What “Joe the Plumber” needs is to understand that genetics may in fact play a role in human disease processes, but they are a multi-factorial part.

I have cancer cells in my body as I write this, as does everyone else reading this, it is a matter of a variety of environmental influences that determine whether cancer gene expression will be allowed to be turned on, and it is a matter of a suppressed immune system to determine if the cancer cells are allowed to proliferate. If you have a weak immune system, you are at risk for cancer.

If you smoke, don’t eat fruits and veggies, have an unhealthy diet and lifestyle, don’t exercise, and so forth you are allowing these cancer cells made in error to proliferate. The cancer cells in my body right now are cells that are naturally made by accident as I discuss in my article on the “Anti-Inflammatory Diet,” using a factory as my paradigm for disease proliferation. Mistakes are bound to occur. Your immune system does the “clean up on aisle nine” in the cancer picture.

After talking to patients for eight years as a telephone triage nurse, and working urgent care, family practice, and a variety of other specialties, I was gifted the opportunity to see how dysfunctional our health care system truly is (in one of the BEST medical settings possible, I should add). I have come to the conclusion that prevention and patient education are the missing links to American health care. That is why I started Kitchen Table Medicine.

This article about cutting a ridiculously small amount of funding to natural medicine research really ticks me off because you know how many negative drug trials there are out there?

Hundreds if not thousands… if not hundreds of thousands.

YES we are trying to conduct scientific research on natural medicines….NO we are not going to find everything to be more beneficial than placebo. This is no different than the pharmaceutical companies finding that their NEW DRUG doesn’t work either. A new drug is found to be ineffective or unsafe nearly every day, maybe even every hour, and do scientists call that “pseudoscience?”

The placebo rate for menopause, for instance, is as high as 40% for ANY treatment up to the first 12 weeks. So of course hormone replacement therapy (which was found to cause breast cancer…etc etc) or ANY treatment can be shown to be efficacious when scientists properly distort the information.

Why is natural medicine labeled “pseudoscience” when it is has been used respectfully and successfully in Asia for at least 3000 years? I think the REAL pseudoscience is drug companies making up synthetic drugs and trying to feed them to us at ridiculously over-inflated prices.

That is pseudoscience at it’s finest. People paying $800 a month for an “off label drug” (not even proven to be efficacious) that gets pulled off the market a few years later because it is going to give you cancer or a heart attack or result in some other terrible outcome.

Do you smell that? Yeah smells like pseudoscience!

What about kids with autism being given anti-psychotic and anti-seizure meds that have absolutely no research to vouch for them? Ummm…pseudoscience.

The whole problem with health care in America is that we don’t have enough prevention. Doing away with research and shutting prevention oriented docs such as myself out of a universal health care plan is politics at it’s finest, because who owns the politicians and the FDA?

The pharmaceutical companies.

If Obama really wants to make a difference during his time in the White House, he should go after companies that are allowed to charge a gajillion dollars for their drug that they can afford to advertise during the Super Bowl.

Natural Medicine companies, for the most part, won’t pay to study natural medicines because no one can patent and make billions off of a well known and effective natural medicine such as garlic. So without the NIH, we have very little hope of understanding how best to use our natural modalities, and which were shown to be the most efficacious.

Enough independent studies on fish oil have finally been done and now there is a pharmaceutical version available at a ridiculously over-inflated price. If your co-pay is only $10 it is probably saving you money, but it is not saving the overall health care budget for insurance to pay $60 for some fish oil that can be picked up at your health food store (like Carlson, Arctic Omega, Pharmax, Twinlab, etc).

Insurance won’t pay me $120 to educate someone on how to eat to prevent gall stones but they will pay $20,0000 for a gall bladder surgery removal!!!! So they have the surgery…and then guess what? They have to be on the SAME diet that would have prevented the gallstones from forming. And the patient then comes running to me for advice because their MD can only tell them to live with the chronic diarrhea. Does this make sense to anyone? It sure doesn’t make sense to me.

If Obama wants to make a difference in health care he should not be listening to “scientists”, he should be listening to doctors, nurses, medical assistants, insurance companies, and referral coordinators….the people fighting the primary care battle in the trenches day in and day out. I slaved away in the primary care trenches for eight years.

Did this geneticist do it? Did he listen to little old ladies crying about how they can’t afford food because their drugs were so expensive each month. Did he listen to the depressed obese old man tell me he would rather die from diabetic complications than follow the diabetes diet. Doubtful.

Don’t expect Medicare to cover all your drug costs when you retire, and don’t expect Obama to actually fix the health care crisis until he guts the system, guts the corruption in the FDA, caps the pharmaceutical industry, and turns health care in to a paradigm that is focused on prevention. Doing away with research on CAM isn’t going to stop me from doing my job, but it certainly isn’t helping it.

Nor is it helping any other American.

No wonder America is the second most unhealthy country in the world next to Finland, and we pay more than any other country for health care. I propose that Obama think outside the box and implement a Chinese or Ayurvedic model of medicine where patients are actually taught how to live well on a daily basis. Where they see their doctor more than once a year, and follow the health care models of China and India where healthy people exist in a system that doesn’t pay much to keep them healthy.

The answer to the health care crisis is not removing Preventative doctors from Premara or taking funds from CAM researchers. If we really want to save money on health care, the plug should be pulled on whatever those human genome researchers are doing. Genetic research is costing us millions if not billions in funding…not a study to see if human touch is helpful in disease management and patient comfort levels, a study that may inspire more doctors and nurses to step down from their pedestals and interact with their patients on more of a human level. A study that might encourage health care providers to put the “care” in health care.

What it all comes down to, is that treating diseases through gene therapy is so far out in the future it won’t even touch the health care crisis for several generations out, if ever, and we need to act NOW. Forget the eldery, forget the baby boomers, the crisis is going to break when our current generation of children reach their fifties and one in three of them are diabetic. If the diabetic crisis continues at it’s current trend, this is what will happen.

Please contact your local congress and let them know you want CAM research supported, that you want preventative medicine doctors and options on your health care plans, and if you need information on how to go about doing that visit the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Feel free to send me hate mail on this one, but I have the “Trifecta of Experience” to speak out against these “pseudoscientists” calling me a “pseudoscientist.” The proverbial pot calling the kettle black.

Well this kettle has been traditionally trained as a scientist, and has also been a triage nurse in a family practice setting for eight years, and now is a preventive medicine doctor with the ability to understand this debate from a myriad of perspectives, and the only way out is to solve the crisis at our very own kitchen tables. We need healthy whole foods that we can afford, we need to implement exercise programs in work places, to get America HEALTHY and not pumped full of billions of dollars worth of monthly drugs.

The only way out is to focus on PREVENTION, Obama has that part right, he is just listening to the wrong panel of advisers. They are all likely corrupt with their own initiatives, and owned by the FDA, which is in turn owned by the Pharmaceutical companies.

How do I know? Just take a look at the health care systems of other countries that aren’t paying small fortunes to researchers to study human genetics when we are several generations out to even efficaciously applying these modalities.

What the NIH should actually do is ditch the geneticists and focus all of their research on CAM and prevention. It is truly the only hope that American health care has. Gut the health care system. Throw out the baby and the bath water.

Maybe that is unnecessarily harsh, but what kind of human being doesn’t want to promote the healing power of human touch? Someone that has no clue about humanity.

Keep the Cam research. Do away with NIH grants that are funding the unnecessary luxury of genetic research, and allow every American the opportunity to PREVENT disease instead of putting a band-aid on it. And if they do get a disease, they still will need a naturopath to help them with the long term big picture of how to prevent the disease from progressing.

Heck I’ve got an electrician here working away right now who says, at 55 years of age, the only thing that holds him together is his weekly appointment with his naturopath.

A human geneticist telling us what to do with the human body is exactly like an electrician telling us how to build a house. Just because you know about the wiring doesn’t mean you know what is best for the entire structure, and yes, I did just ask this electrician if he could build a house from the ground up and he said, “Nope.”

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

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Tags: CAM, Health Care, natural medicine, NIH, Obama, Preventative Medicine, preventive medicine, Reform, Research

How to Get Free Drugs

March 19, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Cost Cutters, Lifestyle Tips

9 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

During these tough economic times, the last thing you should let go is your health.

You may be thinking, “What?!?!?!? Why would a naturopathic doctor want to help me get free drugs?”

As much as I love the idea of a drug free world, having worked as a triage nurse and medical assistant in Family Practice for eight years, I am fully aware that drugs are necessary on occasion.

According to the therapeutic order that naturopaths such as myself follow, we start with diet and lifestyle, work our way up to herbs and nutritional supplements, and then resort to drugs, surgery, and radiation as the highest form of intervention.

As much as I would love to live in a prescription drug free world, that is just not a reality, and during these rough economic times we lose our jobs, or we lose our insurance, or we lose our jobs and lose our insurance and then lose the ability to pay for our anti-depressants because it was already bad enough before we lost our job and then our insurance.

Now we can’t afford our anti-depressants and our world just seems to spiral down from there! I’m sure many people have been in this frustrating boat.

Just don’t give up hope. Prescription drugs are really dirt cheap to manufacture and both manufacturers and doctors want to see you stay on your medications.

First thing to do when prescription costs are running high is to make an appointment with your doctor or call your nurse and ask that all your brand name scripts be translated to generic. This should not be an emergency to your doctor, it should be something they should understandably be happy to help you with in their spare time. Just be patient and give them a few days to work it all out.

If this is still too expensive for you to manage each month then try using mail order systems that reward you for planning ahead and buying 90 days worth of the generic prescriptions at a time.

If you can’t even afford generics then you need to resort to either of the following three tips:

#1 Ask your doctor for free samples. I’ve worked at doctor offices that do and don’t provide free samples and trust me, there are advantages to both. If your doc doesn’t provide free samples don’t hold it against them, but if you are really down and out you should check with your insurance company (if you have one) or call around to make an appointment and get those free samples. You may even ask your doctor. Personally, I would not be offended if a patient had to discontinue care due to financial reasons. I would want whatever is best for them, and would likely have a recommendation that could help.

#2 Find a community health center. Some “free clinics” can actually write off the cost of your prescriptions, or offer a reduced rate on a sliding scale. Again Google “community clinic Seattle” or wherever you live, make a few calls and see if you qualify for free drugs from their pharmacy, or at the very least sliding scale.

#3 Ask the drug manufacturer to give it to you for free. I know this sounds crazy, but if all else fails, call the manufacturer and ask to participate in their economic hardship program. This makes them happy because it keeps you as their customer as well as serves as a nice tax write off, so please don’t feel too shameless to approach your drug company for some free prescriptions to get you through these tough economic times.

It may just take some extra paperwork through your doctor, so don’t expect it to happen over night. It is not the drug that costs the pharmaceutical industry, it is the research and FDA approval process that skyrockets the price of prescription drugs.

So, for the people advertising their product during the Super Bowl, giving you free drugs is feasible because it means keeping a loyal customer and providing a tax write off. Google the name of your BRAND NAME drug, not generic and find the manufacturer that way. If all else fails, call your pharmacist for help. I know for a fact that many of these companies have economic hardship programs, and when I worked as a medical assistant I helped many patients qualify for these programs.

After all, they do want to keep you as a customer…right?

Again, your doctor will likely have to fill out a form so please be kind and give them a few days to complete the necessary paperwork. We are stressed out too!

Obviously the best option, if it pertains to your health condition, is to get your system in optimal condition through diet and exercise.

Aren’t I sneaky?

The need for pharmaceuticals will gradually drop off and your doc can wean you down from your prescription drugs. I am always inspired when I watch “The Biggest Loser” and see a contestant be removed from all their diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure meds just through weight loss. Amazing!

Whatever you do during these rough economic times, never suddenly withdraw from taking a prescription medication that you can no longer afford without checking with your doctor FIRST. The side effects may be extremely hazardous to your health.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table,

Dr. Nicole Sundene
©KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Tags: drug samples, free drugs, free pharmaceuticals, free prescription drugs, generic, hardship programs, how to get free drugs, prescription drugs, save money on drugs

Trifecta of Red Wine, Tea, and Chocolate Shown to Improve Cognitive Function in the Elderly

March 17, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Research

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By Dr. Nicole Sundene

I was just reading the article, “Intake of Flavonoid-Rich Wine, Tea, and Chocolate by Elderly Men and Women Is Associated with Better Cognitive Test Performance,” and thought this may be the world’s BEST natural medicine news to ever report.

Forget the elderly *wink wink*, this article is a great reminder about picking our “poisons” wisely.

If we are going to have one, two, or maybe even three vices, they should all be rich sources of antioxidants, such as DARK chocolate, green or black tea, and organic red wine in moderation.

Here is the quick and dirty on the latest research:

“In a cross-sectional study, we examined the relation between intake of 3 common foodstuffs that contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea) and cognitive performance. 2031 participants (70–74 y, 55% women) recruited from the population-based Hordaland Health Study in Norway underwent cognitive testing. A cognitive test battery included the Kendrick Object Learning Test, Trail Making Test, part A (TMT-A), modified versions of the Digit Symbol Test, Block Design, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Poor cognitive performance was defined as a score in the highest decile for the TMT-A and in the lowest decile for all other tests. A self-reported FFQ was used to assess habitual food intake. Participants who consumed chocolate, wine, or tea had significantly better mean test scores and lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than those who did not. Participants who consumed all 3 studied items had the best test scores and the lowest risks for poor test performance. The associations between intake of these foodstuffs and cognition were dose dependent, with maximum effect at intakes of ~10 g/d for chocolate and ~75–100 mL/d for wine, but approximately linear for tea. Most cognitive functions tested were influenced by intake of these 3 foodstuffs. The effect was most pronounced for wine and modestly weaker for chocolate intake. Thus, in the elderly, a diet high in some flavonoid-rich foods is associated with better performance in several cognitive abilities in a dose-dependent manner.”

What does this mean? It means that if you are going to have a vice you should shoot for a healthy one!

I doubt there could ever be better news for me to report!

Forget the elderly, I know this particular trifecta of joy makes me feel good too! We all need a little treat every now and then, and enjoying these treats in moderation is a normal and healthy part of our culture.

So what is this research really proving? Are these food miracle foods?

Are these foods amazing?

Yes and No

No they are not going to save you from that which ails you and cure dementia and Alzheimer’s, but they are likely preventing disease through the standard disease preventative mechanism. Antioxidants protecting free radicals. What this trifecta share in common is that they are antioxidant rich. Flavanoids in these foods are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants mean anti-inflammation, which means anti-aging.

That is the short version of that story, but the moral of it is that you should pick your “vices” wisely. Just like Indiana Jones knew that the “Holy Grail” was not some flashy supplement, or bedazzled shiny over-sized goblet….I know…and you know…we all know that the REAL fountain of youth is that simple wooden cup, and when it comes to health, the fountain of youth is antioxidants, exercise, sleep, vegetables, and superfoods.

Choose your antioxidants, and your vices wisely my friends. Enjoy the Trifecta. Enjoy the Trifecta of fabulosity organically if possible especially red wine because as I stated in my article “Best Organic Cabernet 2008,” the cleaner we can keep our vices, the more we can make them work for us, as was perfectly demonstrated by the latest research.

Enjoy 1-2 glasses of red wine (depending on your size), a few cups of black (or green) tea, and 1-2 oz of dark chocolate daily (depending on your weight and health condition) moderately and think about how today you can make all the “vices” in your life as pure and natural as possible.

Remember that we should be able to enjoy life a little bit too while being healthy, according to the 80/20 model of health.

What is your favorite healthy “vice?”

Dr. Nicole

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Tags: cognitive function, dark chocolate, elderly, flavanoids, health benefits, red wine, Research, tea

High Blood Pressure: 21 Natural Remedies

March 12, 2009 by Kat
Filed under American Sickcare System, High Blood Pressure, Kitchen Sink, Pediatrics, Reader Questions

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What are the Best Natural Medicines for High Blood Pressure?

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

High blood pressure or “hypertension” is a tough nut to crack with natural medicines. But, since I am just your “blog doctor” and not your real doctor, I can step out on a limb and tell you why you REALLY have high blood pressure.

Of course, there are many etiologies to this common disease; however, most cases are because we have gotten fat, old, and out of shape. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, so don’t be hitting the contact form to send me hate mail.

This is just tough love people!

Regardless, I just announced the pink elephant in the room. So as stated in my tricky little diatribe on “Chocolate Chips Better than Viagra?” we want an “elastic” cardiovascular system and not a non-compliant one. And when I say non-compliant, I am not talking about a badly behaving cardiovascular system. I am talking about elasticity of your arteries.

Alternative treatments are not as efficacious as they could be when it comes to hypertension, and diet and exercise are the key to keeping blood pressure low. The fact that you are no longer young and fit is the real problem, and we all inevitably develop hardening of the arteries known as “atherosclerosis”, which is the leading cause of high blood pressure.

While you are working to adopt a healthier lifestyle I would recommend a basic regime of a Whole Foods Diet, magnesium, coQ10, vit C, Potassium, and fish oil (do NOT take if you are on anti-coagulants), as these nutrients combine well with most medications (always remember to check with your naturopathic doctor or family doc before implementing ANYTHING new.)

Monitor your blood pressure three times a day while making new changes to ensure you are not over-medicating with natural remedies.

The best natural medicines for high blood presssure:

1. Magnesium: 300-500mg daily (may need to divide doses to avoid diarrhea) Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and the arteries are all surrounded with smooth muscle.

When the smooth muscle surrounding your arteries relaxes, it causes your arteries to dilate which results in a drop of blood pressure. Most people are deficient in magnesium anyway, as the richest sources are found in green veggies. I would guess about 90% of American’s are magnesium deficient.

2. CoQ10: 100 mg daily (You should be on this anyway if you have high cholesterol as statins deplete this nutrient, and the common sign is muscle weakness or pain, or in the severe form rhabdomyolyosis).

CoQ10 is depleted by statins (lipitor, lovastatin, etc) inhibition of HMGCoA reductase in the cholesterol pathway, so it is best to replete this potent antioxidant, and you may feel more energetic on your lipitor. I am just waiting for a pharmaceutical company to smartly come out with a statin that includes CoQ10. This nutrient is expensive, but it is worth the bang for the buck if you can afford it.

If you can’t afford it, remember that exercise is free and it is one of the better treatments anyway. If you have high BP check with your doc before starting a new exercise program as they may want to do an EKG or exercise stress test. Otherwise, be sure to purchase a high quality brand of CoQ10 in an emulsion (liquid capsule not tablet) form as this nutrient is fat soluble.

3. Garlic: Liberally in the diet (cooking does reduce the allicin content, so raw is best but I understand if you still need to keep a few friends around…it just means you have to eat more cooked or roasted garlic to attain the same therapeutic effect.)

Or just take garlic as directed if you are going with a supplement form. (Kyolic brand has been widely studied and shown to be efficacious according to the studies.)

Because various studies have shown garlic to be effective as an anti-hypertensive agent, I would start slow and monitor blood pressure. Garlic also lowers blood sugar, so if you are diabetic you should check your sugars more often while implementing this natural therapeutic for hypertenstion.

4. Potassium: at 24 mmol (ask your doc for a prescription, but chances are you are already on this as most anti-hypertensives are potassium depleting) If you want to get this from dietary sources, then just eat green leafies and fruits like bananas. Check with your doctor before using this as a therapeutic agent if you have kidney disease or if you are already on a potassium sparing diuretic medication (used for high BP.)

5. Vitamin C: 1000 mg twice daily. Emergen-C packets are the simplest way to achieve this along with vitamin C rich foods.

One of the cheapest and most well studied anti-oxidants by Linus Pauling: the theory with vitamin C and blood pressure is that high blood pressure typically results from a few causes.

Hyptertension is caused either by problems in the kidneys, or “atherosclerosis” or hardening of the arteries. We want arteries to be compliant as I noted in my tirade, “Chocolate Better than Viagra?”

Vitamin C is a very cheap antioxidant that helps prevent the LDL from “oxidizing” and forming the hardened plaques in our arteries that cause them to lose their elasticicty. Think of vitamin C as the nutrient that keeps your pipes from rusting. Just about everyone should be on vitamin C anyways.

6. Calcium: 800 mg daily. Most Americans do not achieve this in the diet. Research has shown that calcium will slightly help to lower blood pressure…and we’ll take every little bit we can. Natural medicines work well in incremental steps and synergistically.

The goal with most of these supplements is to create an additive effect. Most people are deficient in this essential nutrient anyway, as 800mg is required for the average adult. Take your calcium and magnesium 1-2 hours before bed to ensure a good night’s sleep as they are also great muscle and nervous system relaxants.

7. Fish Oil: 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil or salmon oil daily. Omega 3 fatty acids, as noted in my article “Fish vs Flax” if you have hypertension, I frankly wouldn’t waste my time with flax oil.

Trust me, I love flaxseeds, and I put everyone on them, but if you are really trying to get a therapeutic effect you need something that is further along the anti-inflammatory pathway. If you haven’t seen the biochemistry of what I’m talking about then quit arguing with me about this.

Many nutrient cofactors and coenzymes that most Americans are also deficient in are needed to convert flax to what fish oil is. Also those of Northern European descent such as Scandinavians likely are deficient in the enzyme needed to convert flax seeds, as their traditional diet is based on cold water fish rich in Omega 3’s.

8. Rauwulfia: Don’t use this herbal medication without consulting your naturopathic physician. This is “big medicine” in my opinion, and should not be used without being adequately monitored. However, a randomized study showed less depression when compared to reserpine. Ask your naturopathic physician about this medicine.

9. Stevia: The herb known for it’s sweetness has also been shown to reduce blood pressure at 500 mg three times daily. If you have high blood pressure, you have my permission to try out some of the new stevia containing foods and beverages such as Zevia soda. I prefer the “Wisdom of the Ancients” in the green packets as my fav Stevia. Keep some packets on you and try it in your coffee or tea instead of your typical sweetener. Just don’t use too much as it is REALLY sweet!

10. L-Arginine: 2 grams three times daily. The amino acid that is famous in those late night infomercials for “Extenze” L-arginine works to enhance blood flow by being the precursor to nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide dilates our blood vessels and when we go back to the hose analogy we decrease the flow when we take our thumb off the hose. That is what L-arganine and similar nutrients do for hyptertension.

11. The Dash Diet: Involves extreme sodium reduction to <2000mg daily. But most people should be reducing sodium in the diet anyways. The best way to do this is to avoid packaged food. Salt your food with organic sea salt when it is finished cooking….not during. Salt just makes us look unnecessarily fat and bloated anyways. It is totally out of style. Eat fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and learn to cook with herbs and citrus foods to enhance the flavor of your foods. Salt and pepper as the final garnish.

12. Tai Chi: This gentle exercise is perfect for everyone trying to lose weight or reduce arthritis, stress, or just increase agility, balance and peace of mind. Tai Chi is totally fab! Find a few favorite Tai Chi moves from classes at your gym or favorite video and try to incorporate at least five to twenty minutes of these gentle stretches in to your day. Do you know when I do them? When someone says “Can you hold please?” I then put them on speaker phone and say “sure no prob.” Sometimes I can get a whole fifteen minutes in.

13. Weight Loss: Nag, nag, nag…lose weight. Yah, yah, yah….You’ve heard it. If you are over-weight you know it so I would recommend following my simple weight loss plan, and if you can’t do that then please consider investing in some long term help such as Author Mary O’malley’s enlightening work, “The Gift of Our Compulsions” to address the route underlying cause of your disordered eating issues.

Of course our metabolism gloriously slows down about 1% each year, which accounts for the 10 pound weight gain each decade.

It may be just a discipline thing. Each year we have to learn to eat 1% less, otherwise each decade we will gain at least ten pounds. How is that for a birthday present?

14. Decrease/Eliminate Caffeine: Caffeine is just like throwing gasoline on the hypertensive fire.

Now the reason why people get those “caffeine headaches” is because they are used to caffeine restricting all their blood vessels…but once the body metabolizes all the caffeine we get the painful rebound headache effect called “vasodilation” which means that our arteries dilate and cause a throbbing headache.

So why do we care about caffeine headaches? Because when we constrict blood vessels we increase blood pressure.

Remember again sticking your finger over the hose when you were a child and making the water shoot further? Well that is not necessarily a good thing in the body. A cup or two of coffee a day typically isn’t the problem, it is caffeine in excess.

If you have severe hypertension you may want to consider switching to decaf green tea, or herbal tea. Otherwise, you can likely enjoy certain caffeinated beverages socially, or moderately as long as your hypertension is within optimal range through the use of other natural modalities or prescription medicines.

15. Quit sugar. Sugar is the culprit for many diseases, and although not typically associated with hypertension may be the root cause. Try eliminating sugar or cutting back for a few weeks and track your daily numbers.

I have heard many anecdotal reports from Naturopaths about patients reducing salt and not seeing any results, so they tried reducing sugar (which we all need to do anyways!) and SHAZAM…the blood pressure goes down.

Refined sugar throws the body out of balance because it simply is just not natural. Everyone in industrialized countries should read Dr. Scott Olson’s brilliant book “Sugarettes,” to fully understand how refined sugar is destroying your body from the inside out.

16. Consider food allergies. A recent study has linked food allergies to hypertension. Food allergies can cause a myriad of problems and a food allergy elimination diet is a great thing for everyone to try at some point. I was ~~forced to do it~~ enthusiastic as a student to try this challenge as mandated by my teacher, and surprised at the results.

Basically it entails you have to eat completely differently for about a month and then you test the foods you most commonly eat to determine if they are causing a symptom within a three day window.

What is the first thing your doctor does if they think you are having an allergic reaction? They check your pulse and BP. Low grade allergies may go unnoticed, and high blood pressure or a rapid pulse may be the only clue.

17. Not enough good oil, too much bad oil. As discussed in my article “Olive Oil Reduces DNA Damage” we want to increase our good fats such as olive, fish, and flax, and decrease fried and fatty foods.

Think of saturated fat as little cement bricks building up in your arteries and making them hard and narrow. The good fats as recommended in “The Mediterranean Diet” are what will keep your cardiovascular system running like a race car. Most men worry about changing the oil in their cars more than they do than changing the oils in their body. But, just remember impotence is better prevented.

18. Coleus forskhohlii: Ask your naturopath about this herb. I don’t recommend self treatment with herbs for high blood pressure. But the studies show it to be efficacious, and it is certainly worth trying.

19. Manage Stress. Blah blah blah stress. I can see you all rolling your eyes as you read this, but really stress is often the root cause of hypertension. Having worked eight years as a medical assistant I have seen enough cases of “White Coat Hypertension” to know that stress causes high blood pressure.

The doctor’s office may not be that thing that gets your blood pressure raging, but if you have high blood pressure you likely need to cut back on activities, work, and practice some breathing exercises shown to reduce BP such as “Square Breathing” or “Five Minutes to Zen.” Consider taking up a relaxing hobby, musical instrument, or new craft.

20. Eat celery and parsley. Who knew that garnish on your plate is an actual diuretic? Celery has been used anecdotally with many patients. If you are trying to lose weight, increase fiber, or just be healthy….celery should be a daily snack anyway.

21. Exercise *shudder* I know. I know. You probably have high blood pressure because you don’t exercise. I put this last because it is the most important and I would like to go off on a little bit of a rampage on why none of the aforementioned natural substances or pharmaceutical medications will work in the way that diet and exercise will.

Why is that? Well hyptertension is a sign that you are in poor physical condition, that is if you have the typical form of high blood pressure caused by being overweight, overage, and over the whole exercise thing. There are other forms, but the average American has high blood pressure because they are out of shape.

It is time to start eating better, exercising daily, as well as add in a few supplements to help maintain a healthy “flexible” cardiovascular system. You cardiovascular system cannot be “conditioned” without exercise for twenty minutes daily in the cardio zone which is 70-80% of your max heart rate (220-your age mine is 33) x .7= 130. Shoot for daily and then if you hit five days a week or even three days a week it will make your blog doctor happy.

So in order for me to make any progress with preventing cardiovascular disease I need to be working out as mentioned in my article on “Exercise.”

Keep in mind that herbs such as dandelion that have been shown to be efficacious against anti-hypertensive medications such as furosmeide require HIGH doses in order to be effective. In order to lower pressure using dandelion, you have to literally take tablespoons of the tincture daily…and that is LEAF not root. The root serves to detox the liver and the leaf is used for blood pressure.

Be sure you are always using the correct form of the plant. Many research studies done to show herbal medicines as ineffective have been done on the wrong form of the plant, whether intentional or not. Always read the label and make sure you are purchasing the correct form of the herb you are using.

Exercise, Whole Foods Diet, fish oil, vitamin C, CoQ 10,magnesium, and potassium are the most benign substances on this list if you are concerned about combining them with anti-hypertensive drugs. That combined with diet and exercise should help you gain better control of your numbers.

You may at some point want to discuss lowering your blood pressure medicine if not phasing off it, as the goal is to be on as few meds as possible, and many patients do not like the typical side effects of high blood pressure medicine such as fatigue, dizziness, and so forth.

Once stable on natural meds, your blood pressure should still be monitored daily to ensure there is not an additive effect and you end up with too low blood pressure aka “hypotension” and that the BP is optimally under 120/80 if not 120/70.

If you tend towards hypertension remember that anytime you are not feeling well the first thing you should grab is your home blood pressure cuff (best brand is Omron according to my pharmacist,) unless you need to call 911 because you are having chest pain or any other cardiac symptoms such as pain in the neck, arms, flu like symptoms, sweating, and so forth. As my very wise cardiology teacher Dr. Pournadeli states, “anytime their is pain above the belly button assume MI (Myocardial Infarction=Heart Attack) until ruled out.”

Stroke, heart attack, impotence, kidney failure, and eye disease are all part of the ugly sequalae to uncontrolled high blood pressure. Prevention is key with hypertension. Try one new thing at a time and give it a few days to make sure it is not causing adverse side effects.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table,

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

©http://KitchenTableMedicine.com

21 FREE Preventive Tips

References:
1. The beneficial effect of regular endurance exercise training on blood pressure and quality of life in patients with hypertension. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2004 Apr;26(3):255-65.
2. The beneficial effects of Tai Chi Chuan on blood pressure and lipid profile and anxiety status in a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Oct;9(5):747-54.
3. Results of the Diet, Exercise, and Weight Loss Intervention Trial (DEW-IT).
Hypertension. 2002 Nov;40(5):612-8.
4. Long-term weight loss and changes in blood pressure: results of the Trials of Hypertension Prevention, phase II. Ann Intern Med. 2001 Jan 2;134(1):1-11.
5. Blood pressure response to caffeine shows incomplete tolerance after short-term regular consumption. Hypertension. 2004 Apr;43(4):760-5. Epub 2004 Feb 16.
6. Effects of coffee on ambulatory blood pressure in older men and women: A randomized controlled trial. Hypertension. 1999 Mar;33(3):869-73.
7. Food allergies and migraine. Lancet. 1979 May 5;1(8123):966-9.
8. A randomised controlled trial of stress reduction for hypertension in older African Americans. Hypertension. 1995 Nov;26(5):820-7.
9. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension. South Med J. 2001 Nov;94(11):1112-7.
10. The effect of low-dose potassium supplementation on blood pressure in apparently healthy volunteers. Br J Nutr. 2003 Jul;90(1):53-60.
11. Effect of potassium supplementation on blood pressure in Chinese: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Hypertens. 2001 Jul;19(7):1325-31.
12. Effects of magnesium supplementation in hypertensive patients: assessment by office, home, and ambulatory blood pressures. Hypertension. 1998 Aug;32(2):260-5.
13. supplementation in patients with essential hypertension: assessment by office, home and ambulatory blood pressure. J Hypertens. 1998 Nov;16(11):1693-9.
14. Effect of vitamin C on ambulatory blood pressure and plasma lipids in older persons. J Hypertens. 2000 Apr;18(4):411-5.
15. A randomized controlled trial of high dose ascorbic acid for reduction of blood pressure, cortisol, and subjective responses to psychological stress. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002 Jan;159(3):319-24.
16. Short report: the effect of fish oil on blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in phase I of the Trials of Hypertension Prevention. J Hypertens. 1994 Feb;12(2):209-13.
17. Blood pressure lowering in elderly subjects: a double-blind crossover study of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Feb;53(2):562-72.
18. Does fish oil lower blood pressure? A meta-analysis of controlled trials. Circulation. 1993 Aug;88(2):523-33
19. Hypotensive effect of long-acting garlic tablets allicor (a double-blind placebo-controlled trial)] Ter Arkh. 2002;74(3):76-8.
20. A randomised crossover comparison of reserpine and sustained-release nifedipine in hypertension. Cent Afr J Med. 1997 Dec;43(12):344-9.
21. Effect of oral L-arginine on oxidant stress, endothelial dysfunction, and systemic arterial pressure in young cardiac transplant recipients. Am J Cardiol. 2004 Sep 15;94(6):828-31
22. Effect of oral L-arginine on blood pressure and symptoms and endothelial function in patients with systemic hypertension, positive exercise tests, and normal coronary arteries. Am J Cardiol. 2004 Apr 1;93(7):933-5
23. Oral arginine reduces systemic blood pressure in type 2 diabetes: its potential role in nitric oxide generation. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Oct;21(5):422-7

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Tags: Exercise, fish oil, garlic, High Blood Pressure, hypertension

Amen to the Obesity Tax, Let’s Just Call it Something Else

March 2, 2009 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Diabetes, Diet Tips, Fast Food, Hypoglycemia, Kitchen Sink, Osteoporosis, Sugar, Sugar Substitutes, Weight Loss

8 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Honestly, I’m not sure if the NY officials in charge of the “Obesity Tax” truly intend to call it thus, or if the media has just coined the phrase.

However, there are many more causes than just soda when it comes to obesity. And there are many more ills upon society that soda is at fault for.

Furthermore, beverages with sugar substitutes such as aspartame and splenda (sucralose) also make people fat so those should be equally taxed as the Cephalic Response created by these sweet flavored toxins makes us hungry, which makes us eat more, which makes us fatter.

Also, I would suggest that New York tax juice containing High Fructose Corn Syrup. The only thing that makes me mad about the obesity tax is that it is called the “Obesity Tax.” Why pick on people who are overweight? Poking fun at someone for being obese or “taxing them” is truly unfair and perhaps unconstitutional.

Six Better Names for the “Obesity Tax”

#1 The Water Tax: How about just straight across the board tax all beverages that are not plain water? Water is what nature intended for humans to drink after they were weaned.

I wish it was mandatory for all vending machines to sell bottled water at a four time reduced rate than the typical vending beverage. When we see water priced the same as a fruity looking or flashy drink we immediately feel deprived if we pick water, and from a psychological standpoint we all want to get the most for our money.

Not all beverages are unhealthy, but they all still have containers that place an environmental burden on our planet and our seventh generation. I say we tax everything but water, and let water, the “pristine health beverages for all humans”, be tax exempt from this environmental fee.

#2 The Dental Carry Tax: Why haven’t dentists spoken up on this issue? I’ll bet we could fund dental coverage (and maybe even some bling diamond grills) for all the kids in America and Africa if we taxed both sodas and refined candies. It’s not just the HFCS in sodas that is the problem; it is the acids that erode enamel, with sports drinks like Red Bull being the worst offenders.

#3 The Diabetes Tax: Diabetics cost the health care system $13 dollars per every $1 dollar that is spent on the average healthy person. Now I don’t need a bunch of hate mail from Type I diabetics, although you all know that you shouldn’t be drinking HFCS either, but people in America are literally drinking themselves diabetic with soda consumption.

It is not normal to drink calories unless you are getting them off your mother’s teat. For everyone else, water and herbal tea should be staples while red wine, organic coffee, and pure fruit juice can be enjoyed in moderation in exchange for their beneficial antioxidants.

#4 The Pollution Tax: If you are purchasing a bottle that cannot be recycled or reused then the environment should have the right to tax you!

Plastic bottles in our landfills are a problem that no one within the last century has taken a seriously critical look at. Plastics have really only been on the scene since 1950 and their use has only escalated in the last few decades.

What most people don’t consider with plastics is that we have introduced a new substance into the environment, and in LARGE quantities.

Some constituents such as phthalates, BPA, and other such “xenoestrogens” are already showing carcinogenic qualities as well as issues with endocrine system disruption as their steroidal molecular structure weakly mimics estrogen and thus may be a culprit or contributor to estrogen sensitive cancers.

We are already seeing an increased percentage of females species in smaller species. Larger species are yet to follow. As much as I am for equal rights I don’t think that plastics are the best way for women to take over the world!

Think of all the plastic in our landfills that will inevitably break down in a thousand years. The pollution from that will likely wipe out all human existence. But that is just my biochemical and medical opinion…and what do I know after ten years of studying this stuff.

If I get to place a vote on what New York should call this tax, I vote to call it the pollution tax. We need to be drinking filtered water out of our reusable glass jars or Klean Kanteen containers.

#5 The Bad Parenting Tax: If you are feeding your kids tons of sodas and hotdogs, and not actual whole food and balanced nutrition then you should be taxed. If you aren’t doing it that often, then you shouldn’t even notice the increased 20 cents on the beverage.

Hopefully this “parenting tax” will go towards better parent education for parents, and television programs that will both educate and inspire parents to provide more wholesome foods for children. It isn’t just about their childhood, you know?

They are going to grow up with the habits that you teach them. The habits they see in you will influence them and they are going to end up a casualty of the American Health Care Crisis, which is actually a problem caused by the food that graces our kitchen tables…or worse yet, our cars and minivans when we drive through.

#6 The Health Care Burden Tax: Aside from the aforementioned soda consumption is also implicated in osteoporosis and heart disease. Two GIANT burdens on the health care system.

Americans are soon to likely overtake Finland in the challenge to become the MOST unhealthy country in the world. I am not sure how it is possible that Finland is more unhealthy than us–what are they chain smoking and chugging lard for breakfast?

I’m not sure, but Barack Obama will never be able to fix the health care crisis until he fixes the crisis at every American kitchen table. What we need is not health care what we need is AFFORDABLE healthy food. Imagine if the billions of dollars wasted on prescription meds were actually funneled in to healthy eating and nutrition programs for all Americans?

We know diet and lifestyle prevent disease. However, our cheap processed food options limit us from practicing true prevention. The Reason why our healthcare system is in crisis is that Americans eat the cheapest food they can possibly find. Is this just the case in strapped families and broke college students? No. We have CEO’s of companies feeding their kids mac and cheese from a box, hot dogs, and dinonuggets when they can easily afford better.

You are what you eat. Set the example for young children now, as at these rates likely one in three children born today will end up diabetic. Europeans shop from produce stands and local delis three times a week. Americans shop at large Warehouses to stock up on bomb shelter food monthly.

This has to change.

Con’s of the Obesity Tax:

Obesity is a clinical term and diagnosis and it is unfair to tax individuals and stigmatize them.
The money from the obesity tax will be utilized for balancing the NY state budget and will not directly go towards improving health care, helping obese people lose weight, or anything of the like.
Many people don’t believe taxing is the answer. I’m Swedish so I say tax away! You can feel free to send me hate mail on this one if you wish, but I already get enough. Trust me.

Pro’s of the Obesity Tax:

Makes unhealthy food products less affordable.
Media coverage of this tax has brought to national attention the crisis we have with soda consumption.
Increased awareness of High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Just like the cigarette tax, if it stops just one person from smoking and developing cancer then the tax is a success. If we educate one person about drinking calories and they don’t become obese and diagnosed with Type II diabetes, then I call the “Obesity Tax” a success.

What are your thoughts on the Obesity Tax?

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Tags: HFCS, high fructose corn syrup, NY Obesity Tax, obesity, obesity tax, soda, tax

Twenty Tips for Better Sleep

February 11, 2009 by Kat
Filed under American Sickcare System, Anti-Aging, Kitchen Sink, Lifestyle Tips, Sleep

15 Comments

Are you not sleeping well at night? Sleep is critical for optimal health as it is one of the four pillars of health.

Long-term health depends on the regeneration that occurs during deep sleep. Growth hormone, or the “anti-aging” hormone, is secreted during sleep, which stimulates tissue regeneration, liver cleansing, muscle building, break down of fat stores and normalization of blood sugar.

During sleep free radicals are scavenged in the brain, minimizing its aging. Many health problems are aggravated by inadequate sleep. Sleep gives us renewed vitality, a more positive outlook on life and energy with which we can become our full potential.

SYMPTOMS OF INADEQUATE SLEEP

You could experience drowsiness, fatigue, decreased concentration, impaired memory, reduced stress tolerance, mood changes, irritability, muscle tension, or increased health problems such as infections.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP

#1 Maintain consistent sleep and wake times. Do not push yourself to stay up past the initial signs of sleepiness. This can create epinephrine production, causing more difficulty getting to sleep later. It is good to have a “getting ready for bed” routine to relax and prepare your body for sleep. Avoid taking naps if you have trouble sleeping at night.

#2 Reserve the bed for sleep and sex only. Do not read, watch TV, eat, or worry in bed. Solve daily dilemmas outside of the bedroom. If you find that you’ve been lying awake in bed for 15-20 minutes, get out of bed. Do something mundane until you feel sleepy, and then go back to bed. Repeat this as often as needed.

#3 Your sleeping environment should be quiet, cool and comfortable. The room should be clutter-free. Reduce the amount of ambient light as much as possible. Electronic devices such as clocks, stereos, TVs and computers generate electromagnetic fields that can disturb sleep for some people. Experiment with moving these into another room or using EMF shields. Feng Shui, the Chinese art of placement, can be valuable in creating an optimal sleeping environment.

#4 Exercise regularly. Exercising during the day or early evening decreases the time it takes to get to sleep and increases the amount of deep sleep obtained. Most people do better avoiding exercise late in the evening.

#5 Exposure to sunlight early in the morning and late in the afternoon or evening encourages a strong circadian rhythm. The hormone melatonin, which helps create a sleep state in the body, is suppressed in light and secreted in darkness.

#6 If you have problems with waking during the early hours of the morning, have a small protein snack just before bed to ensure consistent blood sugar levels throughout the night. Consistently get exposure to sunlight as late in the day as possible.

#7 Improving overall health will improve the quality of your sleep. Work towards improving or eliminating health problems. Treatment modalities such as massage, acupuncture or cranial sacral will help to relax the body. Effective stress management is essential.

THINGS THAT RELAX THE BODY AND PREPARE IT FOR SLEEP

#8 Warm baths, possibly adding Epsom salts or lavender oil

#9 Meditating for 5-30 minutes

#10 Breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation (various recordings are available) or any other means of inducing the “relaxation response”. Daily practice brings greater results.

# 11 Special acoustic recordings that increase specific brain wave patterns for relaxation and sleep

#12 Try an Herbal Sedative. Botanicals treatments and aromatherapy using herbs and their essential oils (examples include chamomile, valerian, vervain (verbena), hops, lavender, passionflower, avena (oat straw), lemon balm and scutellaria (skull cap). Consult your physician for dosages and recommendations.

#13 Calcium and magnesium supplementation. Consult your physician for dosages and recommendations.

THINGS THAT INTERFERE WITH SLEEP

#14 Although alcohol may make you fall asleep, the sleep obtained after drinking is fragmented and light.

#15 The stimulating effects of caffeine may last up to 10 hours in some people. Avoid it in the afternoon if getting to sleep is a problem. Caffeine is present in coffee, green tea, black tea, chocolate and some medications (pain relievers, decongestants, thermogenic weight loss products, energy supplements, etc.)

#16 The stimulating effects of nicotine (first- or second-hand smoke) can last several hours.

#17 Sleeping pills, aside from being highly addictive and full of side effects, decrease the amount of time spent in deep sleep and only increase light sleep.

#18 B-vitamin supplements can increase energy that keeps some people awake, if taken before bed. Take B-vitamins earlier in the day.

#19 Do not go to bed with a very full stomach. Large quantities of protein are stimulating to the body as digestion occurs. It’s best to finish eating at least three hours before going to bed.

#20 If all else fails don’t let the inability to sleep frustrate you. Let your body have time to rest in a dark room. I know we often stare at the alarm in frustration, but try to keep calm and remember that your body just needs some quiet time to rejuvenate and if it isn’t in the form of sleep it can at least just be in the form of rest and quieting the mind.

The Fifteen Most Fabulous Herbal Sedatives

December 18, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Anxiety, Depression, Herbal Medicine, Kitchen Sink, Sleep, Stress

28 Comments

Do you ever just feel like you need to take a pill to take the edge off?

Well a lot of us get extra stressed around the holiday season, and if you don’t want to take something that will totally knock you out, try a gentle relaxing cup of sedative tea instead of popping a pill.

Now opinions may slightly differ amongst herbalists as to what the best herbal sedative is, but I think we can all agree that the best herb is the one that works best for the individual. Here are my top fifteen favorites for making in to herbal tea as they are widely available and not endangered species (to my current knowledge.)

I have included a brief blurb so that you can get an idea of the herbs that will work best for your constitution.Please always check with your naturopathic physician before combining herbs with prescription drugs. Do not take sedative herbs during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

#1 Passionflower- The intricate purple flower pictured above was shown to be as effective as sedatives in the benzodiazepine (valium) family, the aerial parts of this herb are great for nervous tension and anxiety. In recent research, passion flower extract at 45 drops daily (tincture) was shown to be as effective as oxazepam (similar to valium). This nervine herb is also “antispasmodic” which makes it great for people with constant nervous twitching.

#2 Ashwaganda- This is probably one of my favorite herbs, which is why it got the award for “Best Herb of 2007.” Unlike most of the herbs on this list that are designed to be taken at night or at least late afternoon, both ashwaganda and schisandra (listed below) are terrific “adaptogenic” herbs that help us tolerate our stressful days that much better. You can make some tea, or grab some capsules of the organic root and take two capsules twice a day.

This herb is specifically intended for those that are exhausted and agitated or debilitated by stress. In ayurvedic medicine ashawganda is a renowned anti-aging and rejuvenating herb.

#3 Schisandra- Referred to as “Chinese Prozac” this herb is commonly unappreciated and underutilized in American herbal practice. Schisandra is a terrific day time adaptogen herb and should be taken as is recommended with Ashwaganda, two capsules with breakfast and lunch, or a cup of tea in the morning and afternoon. The berries can be made in to a nice aperitif for those with a low libido.

#4 California Poppy- The bright orange flowers of the California poppy, leaves and other aerial parts are sedative, anti-spasmodic, and mild pain relievers. This is also a gentle herb used for colic and agitation in children. Do not use this herb or any other sedative herbs in pregnancy.

#5 Hops- No I am not recommending that you drink more beer to calm down. However, the herb commonly used to make beer bitter also works as a sedative. It is extremely bitter though so is best given a small part in your herbal tea formula for insomnia or stress. Do not combine with prescription sleep aids due to an additive effect.

#6 Kava Kava- A well known Polynesian psychotropic sedative, this herb is sedative and “spasmolytic” and thus helpful for chronic pain conditions. Several conflicting studies debate the safety of using this herb with alcohol. Liver damage is thought to occur if used in large doses in conjunction with alcohol. This research however was used to scare many people away from using kava kava for whatever reason.

People need to simply remember that herbs are medicines and that an herb with actions similar to prescription sleep aids and analgesics will of course pack the same side effects. A strong herb demands respect. When used ceremoniously, or occasionally this herb does not run the risks it runs when it is heavily abused.

The best way to safely use kava kava is in an organic tea form. Look for a tea blend that includes kava, or make your own. This herb should not be used in large doses, and large doses should not be used over long term. Do not combine with alcohol, or use during pregnancy or nursing. Chronic abuse will result in a horrible scaly skin rash.

#7 Lavender- Try adding lavender to your favorite baked good recipe. Purple lavender flowers will offer a sophisticated herbal makeover to your favorite shortbread cookies, or white tea cakes.

Lavender is great in your herbal medicine blend, and can also be used to stuff pillows, or as an aromatherapy stress reliever throughout the day. Lavender should not be used in pregnancy due to it’s emmenagogue effect.

#8 Lemon Balm- Also known as “Melissa officinalis” this herbal sedative should not be used by those with hypothyroidism as it inhibits the thyroid and is used to treat hyperthyroidism, however for everyone else it is a common simple herb to grow in your garden and make in to your own calming sedative tincture each summer. Do not use this herb in pregnancy.

I grow lemon balm in my garden and harvest it, rinse it, let it dry and then pack it in a jar with enough room for it to swim around in some vodka. Shake the jar once a day for two weeks. The vodka will extract the constituents and after a few weeks you can strain out the plant part leftovers and put a half a teaspoon of this liquid “anxiety medicine” in a little bit of water when you need something to calm you down.

#9 St. John’s Wort- Although we think “depression” the second we hear about St. J’s Wort, we also need to address that depression and anxiety tend to walk hand in hand and this herb is not just an anti-depressant it is a mild sedative as well. St. John’s Wort has also been shown to have a lower risk of side effects than conventional anti-depressants and is worth trying for those that don’t quite have severe enough depression to mandate the use of a prescription pharmaceutical, but instead need something to take the edge off and boost the mood a bit.

If you are suffering from anxiety that has a form of depression associated with it, then this would be a great herb to consider in your herbal sedative blend pending that you are not on any anti-depressants or anti-psychotic medications. The condition “serotonin syndrome” may occur from combing this herb with those classes of medications or other herbs and supplements that boost neurotransmitter levels.

This herb should not be used by those on oral contraceptives, or any medications as it increases the cytochrome p450 enzyme system which results in a more rapid detoxification of drugs from the system. The drugs or birth control pills are then rendered useless. Standard dose of St. John’s Wort for those not on any other medications, is 300 mg three times daily of the 0.3% standardized extract.

#10 Red Clover- Not traditionally recognized as a sedative, but as a mineral source and blood thinner, this “cooling” herb calms the system and has a special affinity to the lungs, throat, and salivary glands.

This is a terrific balancing herb to include in your herbal sedative blend as the dried flower blossoms make for a beautiful addition to a glass teapot. Do not use in pregnancy, or if on blood thinning medications.

#11 Catnip- Not just for cats. Catnip is actually a gentle nervine herb for humans. No it won’t make you roll around on the carpet or chase after things (at least not to my current knowledge) but it is still a great mild sedative.

This herb should absolutely NOT be used during pregnancy, as most herbs should never be used during pregnancy without checking with your naturopathic midwife, however it can safely be used in children by making a very weak tea. Be sure to only give your children organic herbs and check with their pediatrician or naturopath prior to use.

#12 Valerian- Definitely one of the more potent herbal sedatives, valerian is also a great pain killer for those with chronic pain. Some people prefer not to use this herb because it can cause quite the herbal hangover the next morning and most complain that it makes them feel really groggy, or desire to sleep through the day.

Look for a tea formula that includes a bit of valerian to avoid the hangover, and if you have severe anxiety, chronic pain, or insomnia talk to your naturopathic doctor about using this at a more therapeutic dose. Always use organic root.

#13 Motherwort- The perfect herb for fried and frazzled mothers; it strengthens a weak heart and is great for nervous palpitations. Motherwort is best taken over a prolonged period of time, and because it is a uterine stimulant, it should not be used in pregnancy.

#14 Skullcap- A bitter, cooling sedative herb that is best used for nervous fear, restless sleep, and is also thought to lower blood pressure. This herb is great for people with the inability to pay attention—huh what was that? And has been used effectively to calm down children with ADHD. Some kids concentrate better when they are sped up, and some do better when they are calmed down.

#15 Chamomile- One of the most common kitchen herbs, chamomile is a great mild sedative and digestive bitter.

Be careful in using chamomile tea if you experience ragweed allergies, formally known as the “asteracea family” and previously recognized as “composite family.” If you have a history of seasonal allergies you should exercise caution.

If not, make your tea up strong, use a heaping tablespoon and not a teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water, and allow to steep 15 minutes covered. If you don’t cover your chamomile tea you will lose the calming essential oils to evaporation. Only elitist herbalists know to do that. Welcome to the club!

Traditional Herbal Sedative Use: Establishing a nighttime or daytime tea ritual is a great way to reduce stress, avoid binge eating, and help those that fight insomnia get to sleep at a decent hour.

Don’t forget to have your pot of tea with one of my favorite “Bedtime Snacks for Insomniacs.” Also if you tend to be one of those that gets troubled by having to use the restroom in the middle of the night, be sure to drink your tea at least 90 minutes prior to your expected bed time.

Directions: For most of these herbs simply make a tea with about 1 tsp (milder herbs use a tablespoon) to 8 oz cup of boiling water. Allow to steep covered 15 minutes. Or if you aren’t a tea drinker just look for a pre-made organic herbal formula to take in tincture or capsule form, and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Common Sense Cautions: Please check with your naturopathic physician before combining any herbal medicines with prescription medications or making any changes to your health care routine. Women that are pregnant or breastfeeding should never use any herbs unless prescribed by their naturopathic midwife.

You can find bulk organic herbs at Whole Foods, through your local tea shop or buy them online through Mountain Rose Herbs.

What is your favorite herbal sedative?

~Dr. Nicole

Reference: “Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth” by Dr. Sharol Tilgner
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How are you Voting for your Health?

November 11, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Discipline, Environmental Medicine, Kitchen Sink, Life Coaching, Lifestyle Tips, Motivation, Preventative Medicine

55 Healthy & Cheap School Lunch Ideas

September 21, 2008 by Kitchen Table Medicine
Filed under American Sickcare System, Attention Deficit Disorder, Diet Tips, Kitchen Sink, Pediatrics

14 Comments

I smelled it in the air the other night.

That first cold crisp taste of autumn after a hot summer day.

That nervous tension quivering around me.

That bustling sensation in the air that can only be caused by millions of children and parents simultaneously scrambling to gather last minute glue sticks, scissors, trapper keepers, and lunch boxes.

What will I wear?
Who will I sit next to on the bus?
What will my schedule be like?
Will I be able to find my classroom?
Will my friends have my same lunch schedule?
Are those big bullies going to be there?
I hope I like my teacher!

Oh my gosh I feel SO STRESSED!

What is that?

Oh, wait. That’s right. I don’t have to go back to school anymore. I guess I can just relax. I can hold off on trapper keeper shopping for now.

Phwew!

Back to school time, can be quite stressful for children as they adjust to a new schedule, new teacher, or new school. Keeping the home schedule consistent is prudent during this time. You can also ease the stress by packing them a healthy lunch from home.

A home-made lunch ensures your child is properly nourished to cope with these new stressors, while also providing a bit of the comforts of home. I still remember hanging up my lunch bag in the coat room, a cozy symbol of comfort, waiting there for me if I needed it.

The key ingredients to a successful school lunch are protein and fiber. They will serve to keep your child’s concentration up, and stress levels down, as explained in my article What to Eat for Better Concentration. Also, parents really need to understand that most lunch meats are processed with sodium nitrites that are implicated in increasing rates of childhood cancers as discussed in my article Hot Dogs: Foe of Kitchen Table.

Be sure to try these new lunch ideas at home first before leaving your kids stranded in the cafeteria with some freaky lunch that other kids may make fun of. For the first few weeks of school, pack all their most familiar and favorite foods before making any major changes.

I have collaborated with my sister, a teacher and mom, and my friend Heidi the author of “Healthnut Mom Wannabe” to develop this simple list of whole foods lunch menu items that most kids will eat.

Here is the list of healthy whole foods lunch ideas to feed your children:

Leftovers from last night’s dinner can be quickly packed in a thermos. Fill the thermos first with hot water to ensure the meal stays warm through lunch time. Here are some favorites to try:
Spaghetti.
Your family’s favorite casserole.
Salmon, veggies, and brown rice.
Chicken, veggies, and brown rice.
Chili and rice or whole grain crackers.
Stir-fry and brown rice.
Soup in a thermos with whole grain crackers. Kids especially love:
Chicken noodle soup.
Vegetable soup.
Minestrone soup.
Tomato soup.
Yogurt, fruit, granola, and nuts.
Cottage cheese and fruit.
Chicken and bean burrito on a whole grain tortilla.
Pita bread stuffed with hummus, sprouts, and tomato.
Guacamole and blue corn chips.
Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread.
Vegetarian BLT sandwich (use veggie bacon).
Almond butter, bananas, and a dash of honey on whole wheat bread.
Veggie burger.
Whole grain bagel and cream cheese.
Vegetables should always be included. Here are a few favorites:
Carrot sticks.
Celery (add almond butter, or cream cheese, and raisins).
Snap peas.
Edamame (soy beans).
Broccoli and ranch to dip it in.
Sprouts can be added to sandwiches.
Smear avocados on sandwiches for essential fats.
Red pepper slices.
Cucumbers.
Whole grain crackers are a great source of protein and fiber. Pair them with:
White cheese or cream cheese (yellow cheese is high in saturated fat).
Hard boiled eggs.
Nitrite free lunch meat.
Hummus.
Nut butters like cashew and almond butter. (Peanuts are highly allergenic, try to rotate your nut butters to prevent allergy).
Nuts are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and fat. Try to do raw nuts if possible:
Cashews.
Almonds.
Pistachios.
Mixed nuts.
Trail Mix.
Fruit is always a school lunch favorite. Here are a few that pack well:
Apples.
Oranges.
Peaches.
Pears.
Cantaloupe.
Honeydew.
Bananas.
Raisins.
Dried blueberries, apricots, pineapple rings, or other favorite dried fruit.
Water, rice milk, soy milk, or 2% cow milk. Kids don’t need juice!

Please do add your favorite healthy lunch ideas to the comments section, for all to enjoy!

Remember, if you don’t want your child to become yet another American diabetes and obesity statistic, it is imperative that you gradually switch your family to a “Whole Foods Diet”. Develop healthy habits in your children NOW to prevent disease.

Don’t let the media pressure you in to buying unhealthy junk “designed for children”. Put an end to those crummy cheese and cracker processed “Junkables” that are so tempting to send your kids off with. The reality though is that most processed meals intended for children are exactly what are causing the childhood obesity epidemic in America.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table, please share these simple lunch ideas with any other parents that will benefit!

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Olive Oil: New Research Shows it Prevents DNA Damage

September 18, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Anti-Aging, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidants, Heart Disease, Kitchen Sink, Olive Oil, Omega-6 Oils, Preventative Medicine, Research

24 Comments

Wow! Olive oil prevents DNA damage, how exciting.

Why should we care about this?

Because DNA damage caused by inflammation is essentially the biochemical mother of all disease.

In an article recently published in the August 2008 “Journal of American Nutrition”, researchers concluded that olive oil likely prevents cancer and aging by protecting DNA from damage.

The “phenolic compounds” in olive oil were studied and determined to inhibit the initial stages of cancer formation caused by “oxidative stress” (unstable molecules in our bodies that destroy healthy tissues resulting in inflammation and disease).

Damage to our DNA is exactly what causes both cancer AND aging, along with a myriad of other chronic conditions. The phenolic compounds in olive oil are shown to have a protective effect in vitro to our DNA. The more antioxidants we can include in our diet, the more we can PREVENT disease.

The good news about this “in vitro” or test tube study is that researchers believe that the amount of olive oil needed to prevent cancer is easily achievable in “in vivo” or real life doses!

Researchers concluded that, “Overall, these results suggest that [phenolic compounds] may efficiently prevent the initiation step of carcinogenesis in vivo, because the concentrations effective against the oxidative DNA damage could be easily reached with normal intake of olive oil.”

Hooray! What a wonderful, delicious cancer fighting treat for us to include in our diets. We already know that olive oil in the diet is important for preventing cardiovascular disease and inflammation, now we have yet another reason to make olive oil a major source of fat in our diet.

So how can you get more olive oil in your diet?

First of all, I always recommend buying extra virgin olive oil, the greener the better.

Next, keep in mind that olive oil is not good for baking as much as it is good for drizzling on already cooked foods such as breads, steamed veggies, salads, soups, and popcorn (yes it is delicious with organic sea salt and nutritional yeast).

To achieve the maximum anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits be sure to keep the temp below it’s smoking point of 350F. Best yet, avoid cooking it when at all possible.

Today’s Kitchen Table Fix: Put olive oil on your bread and veggies instead of butter. Always make your own salad dressing with olive oil and lemon or balsamic vinegar.

Reference: “Oxidative DNA Damage Is Prevented by Extracts of Olive Oil, Hydroxytyrosol, and Other Olive Phenolic Compounds in Human Blood Mononuclear Cells and HL60 Cells” J. Nutr. 138:1411-1416, August 2008.

What is your favorite use of olive oil? Feel free to leave your links and ideas in the comments section.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

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I Have a Dream: 45 Years to American Health Care

August 28, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Motivation, Preventative Medicine

23 Comments

It was 45 years ago today that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech.

You can watch the full video here.

What I ultimately find so inspiring about this historic speech, is how one single speech continues to resonate with so many of us.

“Let Freedom Ring” continues to ring and ripple changes through America still 45 years later.

Dr. King changed how Americans think and act.

He not only changed how human beings treat each other, but more importantly, in my opinion, he changed how human beings allow themselves to be treated by others.

Dr. King most importantly empowered Americans to stick to the constitutional rights that this country was founded on; that all human beings should be treated equally.

“I have a dream that one day this nation

will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:

‘We hold these truths to be self-evident,

that all men are created equal.’”

Forty five years later, on this very same day, an African American accepted the very first presidential nomination in America. As highlighted in an article at the Sun, “King was the first black man who was able to rally a large number of people together, just like Obama is, and the message is still the same. Change.”

Change is the take home message from the “Progress not Perfection” mantra I spout off about at Kitchen Table Medicine.

Remember: You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be making progress.

Progress according to Dr. King would be having a black man elected as president, and progress now according to Barack Obama is, “no longer being dependent on the Middle East for oil within the next ten years.” A goal that sounds lofty and near impossible, but we also know that just about anything is possible. Are all the promises that our presidential candidates make going to come to light? Not likely, but many of them are still possible. They are still important goals to work towards nevertheless.

Maybe the world today isn’t exactly as Dr. King envisioned in his dream just yet. But, we still have seen improvement. Maybe in another 45 years racism will be completely “out of style” once and for all. But, again a lofty goal as we fight the inevitable limitations placed by the evil enemy known as human ignorance. Nevertheless, today we can all celebrate that America finally has a presidential candidate nominated for the person that they are, and not the color of their skin.

“I have a dream that my four little children

will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged

by the color of their skin,

but by the content of their character.”

We are reminded by the combination of this historical speech, and today’s election of Obama as the Democratic candidate; that the most important changes, the most lasting changes, happen gradually over time. These changes also require some sort of initial upheaval to get the ball rolling.

I spend a great deal of time worrying about how the ball is rolling for American health care, and I wonder when, if ever there will be some sort of organized upheaval in light of everyone’s complaints.

What will your health be like in 45 years? Does anyone worry about their long term health but me? If so, tell me what does the big picture of your health look like 45 years from now?

I bet my friend Joe, “The Crotchety Old Man” will probably say, “Doc, I’ll be quite thankfully dead in 45 years.”

To which I would sarcastically retort, “Well that is selfish Joe, I still have old age and social security to worry about, I am left to worry about what is happening to the future of Medicare, and prescription drug costs. I have about 45 years left to worry if I will be able to afford nursing homes, walkers, home blood pressure monitors, support hose, copays, hospital visits, and surgeries someday.” All the things that every senior citizen is gravely concerned about today.

Am I the only one in my generation concerned about these things now?

*Looks around terrified*

The health care system will only continue to down spiral if American youth don’t get concerned about it now. The system is already bad enough, and in my opinion gravely disrespectful to our elderly population. Doctors are put in a precarious predicament as they are no longer reimbursed for doing annual physical exams by Medicare, a prime example of disrespect and disservice to our seniors.

Does that make sense to anybody out there, that our health care system would not want to pay for a wellness “check up” for senior citizens?

Family doctors are left to bill these visits creatively now, while simultaneously juggling all the complaints of the average eighty year old person in an average of twenty minutes or less. Your family doc is then reimbursed about $17 bucks for their time on this visit. When I first started working in the system an entire hour was alloted to these visits, now they are scheduled for twenty minutes. Forty if the patient has special needs or needs extra time.

Most senior citizens need more time not less to discuss their health concerns. Trying to accomplish an annual physical and manage multiple complaints in a matter of minutes sounds like a crazy feat that would be dangerous to perform even at a circus, let alone with someone’s life.

But, a circus our American health care system has consequently become. Pure disorganization and dissatisfaction on all ends–pure chaos. But, please do pay your $20 co-pay before entering the center ring.

Trust me, doctors aren’t happy, nurses are miserable, and patients are dissatisfied with an average of seven minutes spent having their health concerns addressed.

What will American health care look like now if we don’t have some sort of independent movement? I plan to be sticking around here still in 45 more years, and unless I go socialist and return to my Swedish roots, I also unfortunately plan to observe the unraveling of the “American Sick Care System” (as former surgeon general, Dr. Jocelyn Elders notoriously refers to it).

Health care will only get worse if doctors don’t insist on more health care dollars spent on PREVENTION and EDUCATION. Doctors need to spend more time with their patients not less. Patients need to be both educated and motivated to PREVENT disease, and should be rewarded for their efforts accordingly.

Until we find the answer to the American health care crisis, the best thing we can do is strive every single day to prevent disease by living more healthfully. Change begins in the mind of the individual. Politicians and everyone else will in time catch up, just like the Civil Rights Movement.

Just make a few healthy decisions each day, and if we all collectively work together, we can make a change in health care. Each of us should work together to do our part and PREVENT disease.

“I have a dream…

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair

a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform

the jangling discords of our nation into a

beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith,

we will be able to work together, to pray together,

to struggle together, to go to jail together,

to stand up for freedom together,

knowing that we will be free one day.”

How can we achieve freedom from any faulty system if we all don’t work together? Health is the ultimate freedom. Freedom from disease. Anyone chronically ill can tell you what an enslaving system illness is. Disease is a most miserable governor. The good news for those of us that are fortunate enough to be healthy, is that in order to prevent disease you really don’t have to do a whole lot. You just have to have a good “batting average”.

In order to be a “key player” in the all American health care game, you simply have to hit at an average of .333 or 33% or once every three times or so consistently.

“So what if you didn’t have a healthy snack, make it a healthy dinner. Well yesterday didn’t go well, tomorrow is a new day. Maybe you can just work out for 10 minutes today instead of the 30 you think you need…” Some of the most common negotiations I frequently make with people to help them see that they don’t have to do everything. They just need to do something.

All the medical system asks, is that you just be a baseball player when it comes to fulfilling your obligations to our health care system. You don’t have to be a fitness trainer, or an Ironman athlete, you don’t even have to exercise or eat right every day to prevent disease. You should, but you don’t really have to when we are analyzing your individual health as part of a collective system. No one expects you to hit a home run every time you go up to bat. Just get on base with your health every so often. Every third time. We collectively need to agree to do our best to prevent disease each and every day, and that commitment starts with the individual, and together, we all just need to “Always march ahead” as Dr. King so wisely suggests.

“And they have come to realize that their freedom

is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that

we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.”

Collectively, our preventative efforts reduce the amount of medicine that must be dispensed by pharmaceutical companies and paid for by insurance companies. Our collective efforts will combine to decrease doctor visits and hospital stays, prevent diseases that we already know how to prevent, and likely prevent newer diseases that we don’t know an awful lot about. The more disease prevented, the less burden upon our health care system.

Perhaps I am completely out of line here, and perhaps it is ridiculous to examine the parallel struggles of freeing a nation from slavery in comparison to how our unhealthy decisions and habits enslave each and every one of us each and every day as a nation of unhealthy people in a dysfunctional health care system. But, my hopes are just that with enough effort, in time we can reduce the total number of dollars spent annually by health care. We can be freed of the dysfunctional thinking that “some system by our government is going to take care of us”, when we as individuals should be responsible ultimately for our own care. Preventative medicine is the BEST “individualized health care plan” that works pretty well for everyone. It is simply up to you to get the ball rolling.

Currently, we are trapped in a dysfunctional system, a system that is enslaving all of us as a collectively sick, prescription drug over-abusing, over-using system. Instead, let’s just imagine a world full of preventative medicine, a world where America is not the second most unhealthy nation only to Finland. A world where Americans do not spend the most money on treating disease in order to be the second most obese and unhealthy country in the world.

Let’s instead imagine a world that makes more sense. A world where we collectively, and daily stay dedicated to preventing disease as we know it. A world where we all continuously strive to eat whole foods, exercise, meditate, and sleep properly, a world free of needless heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. A world where America sets the example for how everyone else should be. Where America is a world leader, not a disgrace.

The more we work to prevent disease in ourselves, the more health care dollars will be freed towards the incurable, and the more money that will go towards those that truly need it.

After eight years working in health care, my personal prognosis of the system is dismal, and I pessimistically anticipate it to only worsen with time. In my opinion, the only way to improve it is to inspire individuals to make changes within themselves. Stop expecting the government to take care of you and take your health in to your OWN hands.

We all tend to have an easy time wanting to do these little things for the environment. Everywhere you look these days it seems like yet another company is jumping on the “green bandwagon” for whatever reason. We all wash cans, religiously separate our bottles from our paper, drive slower, buy green, think green, take shorter showers, and turn the water off when we brush our teeth. And we do it all for the environment. We do it for the greater good. We do lots of little things every single day that will likely not have much of a significant impact during our lifetime. We similarly need to make these collective preventative medicine efforts for the greater good of our health care system.

These efforts will also more likely provide us with more immediate rewards. When we free one person from sickness and disease, we free the entire health care system of their disease. When we prevent disease in one person, we prevent disease in the entire health care system.

With one last favorite “I Have a Dream Speech” quote we are reminded,

“In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words

of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,

they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men,

would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of

life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Personally, I am not relying on being able to cash a Medicare check in the next 45 years. My fear is that America, at this rate, will yet again show up as bankrupt to its promises.

Taking your health in to your own hands is the ultimate force driving all “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. The pursuit of all three of those things is quite eerily dependent on good health.

A world full of preventative medicine is my health care dream.

Don’t rely on cashing that check.

Ok, I will get down from my soap box now. I am no preacher. Just a doctor.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

Today’s discussion question is: What healthy things can you do to alleviate the burden from our sick care system?

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician
www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Getting “The Big Diagnosis”

July 9, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Discipline, Kitchen Sink, Motivation, Preventative Medicine

16 Comments

The only thing worse than giving “The Big Diagnosis”, is getting “The Big Diagnosis”.

Let’s just stop for a moment and think about what it might feel like to be diagnosed with terminal cancer. How would you feel if you were told that “You have cancer and only six months left to live”?

How would that make you feel?

I hate to be so grim, but in order for us to really practice preventative medicine in our diet and lifestyles, we need to think about what we are indeed actually striving to prevent. We need to stay motivated.

What would it be like to suddenly drop over from a heart attack?

How would it feel to find out you have diabetes and have to give yourself a shot of insulin each and every day, with each and every meal for the rest of your life?

What if you had a stroke and woke up and only half of your body continued to work? What if it left you unable to speak? Unable to express yourself, unable to tell your family that you love them?

None of this stuff is fun to think about, but much of it is highly preventable for the most part.

Most younger people defend their bad diet and lifestyle choices with the declaration that “I don’t want to be old someday, so I don’t care if I die in my 50’s or 60’s”.

As much as such thinking may solve the Social Security problem here in America, it certainly is not doing much for our Sickcare System.

First of all, after spending nine years in health care, I just have to say that most people are not so lucky as to be taken out suddenly by a massive heart attack or stroke. These are less common occurrences.

Most preventable diseases tend to have an insidious course. You may not care about your future well being now, but imagine what it would be like to spend your golden years in a wheelchair. To no longer be able to drive your car. To be bed ridden. To feel like a burden on your family. To always be dependent on someone else to go to the bathroom or change your diapers. To be stashed away in some lonely corner of a nursing home with no one to talk to or visit you all day. What will it feel like to lose all your personal freedoms?

We all want to just pleasantly die of a pulmonary embolism in our sleep. That would be ideal.

Unfortunately it is not realistic.

In order to stay inspired to take care of yourself in a preventative manner, I suggest you think of yourself as three individual people. There is the “Today You”, the “Tomorrow You”, and the “Future You”.

Feel free to diagnose me with Multiple Personality Disorder, but in order to work my way through the rigors of medical school I started to refer to myself as “Today Nicole”, “Tomorrow Nicole”, and “Future Nicole”.

Nearly everything I did for eight years was for “Future Nicole”. I had to learn to tune out the wants of “Today Nicole” because otherwise “Tomorrow Nicole” would be left without food in the fridge, money in the bank, or gas in the car.

You see, “Today Nicole” is very lazy and self indulgent; she just wants to do what is best for right now.

Today Nicole doesn’t feel like exercising, she wants to watch TV in her sweat suit and eat McInflammation. Today Nicole wants to cross everything off her “To Do” list and deal with ALL responsibilities tomorrow. Today Nicole wants to bake under the hot summer sun. Today Nicole does not really care about malignant melanoma. Today Nicole hates grocery shopping. Once there, Today Nicole wants to buy frozen pizza and donut holes not fruits and vegetables. Today Nicole thinks it is fun to eat candy and drink Red Bull all day. At the end of a long day, Today Nicole wants to drive straight home and go to bed. Today Nicole is too tired to fill up the car with gas, she will put that burden off on Tomorrow Nicole.

Unfortunately Tomorrow Nicole is destined to become Today Nicole. Tomorrow Nicole is going to have a very bad day because she was forced to stop for gas which made her late for work. Tomorrow Nicole is going to have an irritable work day without breakfast or lunch. Tomorrow Nicole is going to be looking for some sort of unhealthy indulgence to cancel out the ills of her improperly planned day. Do you see how the vicious cycle of immediate gratification perpetuates?

I believe it is all about setting yourself up nice for later. Most everything I do right now is still for “Future Nicole”.

That may sound dismal and boring at first glance, but think about it… You want to avoid getting the “The Big Diagnosis” right? Well, doing so is not only going to set things up nice for later, but it is also going to make you FEEL GOOD today, tomorrow, and the next day. Preventing disease is as simple as taking a little bit of time out of your day to “buy groceries and fill the car with gas”. Preventing disease means having the forethought to eat your fruits and vegetables, drink pure clean water, order green tea instead of coffee, make the healthiest choice available, cut out fast food when possible, go to bed at a decent hour, keep a positive mental attitude, find abundant joy in the simple little things, and get some form of exercise each and every day.

The more we think about these things, the more they become a habit. Healthy habits form a healthy lifestyle. That lifestyle is the foundation to your future health. All you have to worry about are the little things. The rest is in God’s hands.

Certain genetics and environmental influences may occasionally confound our efforts to prevent disease. However, if or when I get “The Big Diagnosis” I want to at least be able to tell myself “You know what self? Well at least we did everything we could to prevent this from happening. Perhaps all our efforts even prolonged this from happening, or prevented additional suffering. Maybe all our efforts with diet and lifestyle even squeezed out a few extra golden years.”

Preventative Medicine is tough because we want it all now, with a side of ranch to dip it in. But someday “Today You” will inevitably be “Future You”. Hopefully it is a good day when the two finally meet.

What are your greatest fears around getting “The Big Diagnosis” and what are you doing to prevent them from occurring?

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician
www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Hot Dogs and Childhood Cancer

July 2, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Pediatrics, Product Reports, Weight Loss, Whole Foods Diet

23 Comments

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

I came across this story about hot dogs at the Chicago Tribune and thought, “Oh dear! What is this world coming to? Hot dogs still? REALLY?”

“A whole recipe contest for the ‘wonderous wienie’?”

“Oh my!”

Hot dogs are not a healthy friend of the kitchen table.

A while back I stopped by the grocery store and was asked to buy a hot dog to support breast cancer.

Always the first to write a check for some Girl Scout cookies, I was forced to unfortunately say “no thank you” to the hot dog fund raiser. What I did do though, was immediately call my sister, a fellow health food freak to discuss the deep dark irony of hosting a hot dog fund raiser for cancer. (My sister and I are pretty much the female version of the finicky, persnickety duo Fraiser and Niles Crane on a Whole Foods Diet).

She suggested that I sell cigarettes to raise funds for lung cancer research.

We had a good laugh over the silly satire of the situation, and thought up a bunch of other ridiculous fund raisers. I couldn’t help but hang up and still feel gloomy and defeated that our American Sickcare System is so tangled up in hype, blinders, and microscopic thinking.

Sometimes we easily lose track of the big picture with health, disease, diet, and lifestyle choices. No, hot dogs have not been shown to cause breast cancer at this prudent juncture, however, they ARE implicated in increasing the risk of childhood cancers.

The nitrites used to preserve hot dogs and other lunch meats form nitrosamines either in the cooking process or in our gut. Nitrosamines are known carcinogens implicated in cancers of the bladder, mouth, esophagus, stomach, and brain.

If hot dogs are associated with cancer even slightly, then why bother eating them I say?

If they are implicated in child hood cancers, and thought to increase your child’s risk of developing cancer NINE-FOLD when an average of 3 hot dogs per week are consumed, then WHY by all means are they even allowed to be served in school cafeterias, daycares, and hospitals? If one hot dog a week increases your child’s risk of developing brain cancer, why would any parent want to feed their child such a food?

Unfortunately most parents that I talk to are clueless to the hot dog conundrum.

Look at this innocent little guy eating watermelon in the above picture. Kids are just as happy with healthy foods, and it is our job to make educated decisions around feeding them. They don’t know any better.

Today’s Healthy Kitchen Tasks: Get hot dogs with nitrites out of your life. Ask the professionals preparing your children’s meals why hot dogs are being served to them if they are thought to increase the risk of childhood leukemias and brain tumors. Show them this article.

The bottom line is that institutions don’t want to pay for quality food. School cafeterias, prisons, hospitals, and other government run facilities have to work on a budget, and the budget they are expected to keep scarily determines MUCH of our “nutritional requirements”. The dietary RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is set especially low so these government run programs can meet the bare minimums.

Something to think about the next time you send your child off to school to purchase a hot dog and some tater tots.

Hot dogs should not be the bare minimum.

Let’s stop and evaluate the big picture.

The more clean and moderately we live, the more disease we can prevent. Avoiding the consumption of hot dogs is crucial to clean healthy living. If our efforts prevent cancer in one child, then they are well worth it. Maybe your child won’t be affected, but it sure will matter a great deal to the parents of the one that is.

If you HAVE to have a hot dog, save it for a sporting event or carnival. Even Disneyland is moving towards healthier choices, and so should we. “When in Rome” is a good rule of thumb for hot dogs.

Needless to say, hot dogs should not be daily or even weekly guests at our kitchen tables. Look for healthier protein options that are NOT prepared with potential carcinogens such as sodium nitrites. Anything on the label that says “nitrite” or “nitrate” after it, means potentially carcinogenic. Cured fish, and bacon also contain nitrites. Purchase bratwursts and higher quality intestinal meats from whole foods markets. They won’t have as long of a shelf life, so keep them in the freezer.

Keep in mind that these low quality protein sources actually are extremely high in saturated fat which is not good for any inflammatory health condition (almost all disease is caused by inflammation), nor is consuming saturated fats in hot dogs good for PREVENTING disease such as the clogged arteries that cause heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.

Best case scenario, though, let’s just remove the hot dog’s seat at the kitchen table. Who needs a nasty old hot dog sitting around at dinner time anyways?

For more information about today’s tirade, you can read an important question and answer series about hot dogs and cancer at PreventCancer.com.

If you have any ideas for any other “great” fund raisers. Feel free to leave them in the comments section.

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Do Your Vitamins Need Food Coloring?

June 13, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Product Reports, Supplement Quality, Vitamins, Whole Foods Diet

9 Comments

Since everyone is always asking me questions, I thought I would pose a question to you all for a change.

The correct answer is of course…NO.

Excipients are unnecessary chemicals that are added to your vitamin and mineral tablets or capsules.

Now some excipients when making tablets are unavoidable, which is why I prefer products in capsules, but do you REALLY need food coloring in your calcium?

NO.

The quickest way to tell if your vitamins are high quality is to check for food coloring. It doesn’t take a biochemistry degree to find the yellow #5 in the ingredients. Most vitamins that have food coloring have an array of other unnecessary excipients that may as well not be given a seat at the kitchen table. Food coloring is an evil villain of the kitchen table! Certainly not something you need to be ingesting on a daily basis to improve your health and prevent disease!

In my over-educated opinion, food coloring found in supplements immediately spells C-R-A-P.

In posting this complaint about food coloring, I am inviting all vitamin manufacturers to remove food coloring from their vitamins. Adding artificial color to a health supplement is HYPE at its finest.

I started Kitchen Table Medicine to hammer out the hype that runs rampant in the field of alternative medicine.

Food coloring is just added to make vitamins LOOK cool. Your vitamins DO NOT need food coloring to work. You do not need to be supplementing food coloring in your diet on a daily basis! You are not running the risk of becoming food coloring deficient.

Todays task: Head to the kitchen and check the labels of your vitamins, if they contain artificial food colorings, you don’t necessarily have to throw them out. I would just use them up, and then switch to another brand that is selling you ONLY high quality vitamins without all the hype.

Because I have been receiving so many questions about how to know if a vitamin or supplement is high quality, I will be posting a checklist soon, so that you can learn how to put your vitamins and supplements to the test. The FDA does not currently regulate supplements in the U.S, and as a result quality is a major issue in the vitamin industry.

Check point one: Food coloring….does your vitamin pass or fail?

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Subvert Unfulfilled Consumerism

June 11, 2008 by Dr. Nicole Sundene
Filed under American Sickcare System, Kitchen Sink, Stress, Unfulfilled Consumerism

10 Comments

An unnecessary cause of stress these days is unfulfilled consumerism.

When we are stressed out we often immediately opt to buy something that will make us happy. We want the quick fix.

Most of the time the joy of buying something is transient. The drug-like serotonin and dopamine rush we receive from our latest purchase quickly dissipates as the stress, depression, anxiety, or desire to compulsively shop just quickly returns.

Before making purchases start the new habit of asking yourself… “Do I REALLY need that?”

Chances are you don’t.

The dreaded unfulfilled consumerism is the GRAND American tradition of overdoing everything:

Over-shopping.
Over-eating.
Over-drinking.
Over-smoking.
Over-driving around.
Over-needing.
Over-buying.
Over-producing.
Over-wanting.
Over-”keeping up with the Joneses”
Being the “Joneses”
Over-consuming.

Really, you don’t need STUFF, what you really need is a VACATION!

Trust me I’m a doctor…and I need one too!

Hooray! Let’s all stop buying stuff we don’t need (especially in bulk or the dreaded “buy two get one free”) and ask ourselves:

“What is the bare minimum I need in order to be happy?”

Learn to feel grateful and fulfilled with JUST that.

Instead of blowing your hard earned money on:

Things you don’t need.
Things that collect dust.
Things that waste your precious time.
Things that require maintenance and upkeep.
Things you don’t really want.
Things that make you unhappy.
Things that cause clutter.
Things you have to wash or fold.
Things that hang in the closet with the tags still on them.
Things that max out your credit card.
Things that make you fat.
Things that raise your cholesterol and make you a candidate for diabetes.

Try simply saving that money and putting it towards a vacation or other indulgent stress reducing activity!

Every time you feel tempted to buy something you really don’t need, like junk food, dessert, or heaven forbid McInflammation, breathe and then put that money towards your vacation.

Pay yourself for just saying “NO” to the unhappy American tradition of unfulfilled consumerism.

Trust me.

Less really is more and it adds up quickly.

Get your whole family interested in the concept!

How to save money while using less of the world’s precious resources is a great topic for your next family meeting. Motivate your kids with the idea of a fun vacation. Let them pick where you all are going to go. This is a simple way to teach kids about saving money and preserving our resources.

So, let’s all just put away our credit cards and BREATHE for five minutes!

Breathing is ALWAYS free and a great, simple way to eliminate stress.

Don’t be a victim to the vicious cycle of unfulfilled consumerism!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician
www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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