This week, I will be discussing ways in which to prevent heart disease that may be, if not outright surprising, then at least somewhat intriguing.
The first surprising way to prevent heart disease is to eat more fat. So, I know what you are thinking, Wow! Are you telling me that I can go out and eat Big Macs and candy bars to my heart’s content???

Of course not…let’s have some common sense. What I am saying is that the more omega-3 fats you eat, the better it is for your heart. These fats are anti-inflammatory and inflammation has been shown to be a crucial step in developing plaque and heart disease.

Omega-3 fats are most commonly known to be found in fish, such as salmon, black cod or sablefish, and halibut. They are also found in foods like flaxseeds and walnuts. However, these vegetarian sources are made up of a slightly different type of omega-3 fat that your body has a harder time converting to the kind that it needs. In fact, research has not shown the same kinds of results from flaxseeds and walnuts as they have from fish.

So, eat your fish and love the fat because it loves you!

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

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

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

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Believe it or not you can burn more calories throughout the day just by maintaining perfect posture. Upholding a healthy alignment, while continuously contracting your abdominal muscles inward will keep your back and core happier and healthier over time. Strong abs are the key to a healthy back. If you think of your body as an architectural structure if one side is weak it will then consequently put more stress on the non-affected side.
For instance, many pot bellied men complain of low back pain. Working up to an exercise routine that includes 5 minutes of abdominal work daily is integral to a back pain prevention program.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Most folks have heard of the health benefits of the Omega 3 oils found primarily in Alaskan Wild Salmon and flaxseeds.

Although dietary consumption is always preferred it may not be practical for those with high Omega 3 intake requirements such as those with inflammatory conditions.

If you have a problem taking the fish oil capsules you can simply keep them in the freezer! The capsule should then stay intact while passing through the stomach and break down in the small intestine instead for absorption.

Fish oil should be taken with a meal, not on an empty stomach. Be sure to use a high quality fish oil that has been independently quality tested for Mercury and PCB content.

You can evaluate the research at www.consumerlabs.com to find high quality supplements. Carlson is a highly reputable company and is widely available, I also like Arctic Omega, and Pharmax.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Many folks are fatigued simply because they have not had an adequate intake in water for the day. Some experts purport that a 5% reduction in hydration status results in a 25% overall reduction in energy. Signs of severe dehydration ie: lack of skin turgor (skin doesn’t settle back down quickly when the back of hand or neck is pinched) or dryness of the gums, mouth, and tongue requires immediate emergency intervention.

Personally I always feel this dehydrated fatigue after a long tedious afternoon of running errands without drinking any water. To ensure adequate hydration I recommend for most people to simply divide their body weight in half and that number is roughly the amount of ounces of water a person needs daily. For instance a 150 pound woman would need 75 ounces of water daily.

You can also divide your body weight in to thirds and then add 8 ounces for each vice (coffee, tea, alcohol) and then another 8 oz for every 20 minute period of exercise. So again a 150 pound woman would need 50 ounces plus 8 ounces for a cup of coffee and 16 ounces for 40 minutes of exercise totaling 74 ounces.

Hydration is not just about water, it is also about electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, and trace minerals are important for preventing dehydration. Emergen C packets can be added for electrolytes, or a pinch of organic sea salt. The simplest way to stay on top of your water consumption is to stock up on jars of water when travelling, or use your Klean Kanteen stainless steel container.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, Naturopathic Physician

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

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

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

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

Wow don’t you feel better now?

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Dehydration is a very serious complication of illnesses associated with high fevers, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Preventing dehydration when sick is an easy way to prevent a trip to the hospital for an IV of fluids. The first sign of dehydration in most people is typically a headache.

I would say that most individuals complaining of a high fever and headache, usually just have a headache because they are dehydrated, although meningitis and other conditions are of course a concern. Simply ensuring that hydration levels are optimal typically resolves a headache in these scenarios rather quickly.

I always feel like such a miracle healer when I cure someone’s headache with a glass of water! They say that 80% of headaches are caused by dehydration, and a high fever is simply burning off a person’s fluids at a faster rate than usual.

Aside from headaches, dark colored urine is also an easy indicator of dehydration, you can pinch the backside of your hand, and if the skin does not rapidly flatten you are dehydrated. If you have dizziness from standing you are most likely dehydrated.

If you are experiencing the stomach flu be sure to drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes such as Emergen-C, Recharge, chicken broth, or you can even make your own by adding a large pinch of sea salt to a diluted juice of choice. Hydration is not just about water, you have to have sodium, potassium, and trace electrolytes.

Dr. Nicole Sundene

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Let’s face it, no one likes to have diarrhea. No one likes to even talk about diarrhea. As a doctor how can I even help someone with diarrhea if they won’t even talk to me about it? I have spent weeks if not months combined talking about diarrhea, so please don’t hesitate to bring up this “embarrassing problem” to your doctor.

A simple remedy for diarrhea involves feeding the lining of the digestive track with it’s fuel of choice. The amino acid L-glutamine is the fuel of choice for the “enterocytes” the cells that line the digestive track. Before starting any therapy such as L-glutamine you should check with your health care practitioner. L-glutamine in clinical trials has been shown to be effective in diminishing diarrhea induced from chemotherapy.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

No one wants to talk about the embarrassing complaints involving diarrhea, not even at a doctor’s visit.
So let me just tell you everything you need to know about diarrhea right here. First of all please do not hesitate to discuss this with your doctor, because although you may be embarrassed, your doctor talks about peoples poop problems all day long and just wants to help you get better. Diarrhea lasting longer than a week should have a visit to the doctor especially if you have tried home treatments for diarrhea, and they do not seem to be helping. Your doctor should order a stool culture to determine the cause of the diarrhea especially if you have travelled recently to a foreign country.

I quickly learned in my former life as a medical receptionist to never grab a brown paper bag that someone handed me without gloves on. Aside from infections, common causes of chronic diarrhea are Ulcerative colitis, Celiac’s Disease, and Chron’s. Irritable Bowel Sydrome (IBS) is simply a diagnosis made when no other cause can be determined. The following tips are designed for those with IBS, although may in fact be helpful for those with other causes of diarrhea.

First off in good ol’ Naturopathic tradition we must DETERMINE THE CAUSE of the diarrhea! Is it stress? Stress is a serious culprit in many diseases, and when it comes to IBS addressing stress is of fundamental importance because the digestive track simply does not function properly when we are under stress. Stress shuts down what is referred to as the “parasympathetic” portion of our nervous system that is in charge of digestion. Learning to cope better with stress should be a long term goal for those with chronic digestive complaints.

Many people with chronic diarrhea may just suffer from chronic food intolerances or aggravations. Frequent offenders are dairy, wheat, eggs, citrus, soy, nuts, spices, and fatty foods. The gold standard for determining if food is a culprit is to simply try an Allergy Elimination Diet. If you think it is a specific food like dairy for instance you can simply avoid all dairy for two weeks and then re-introduce it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days straight to determine if it is a problem or not. Although food intolerances may not be the initial cause of diarrhea, they often aggravate and confound the problem as a chronically inflamed gut will start to over react to the proteins in many common foods. I hate to be the bad guy, but it is usually a person’s favorite food that is the problem.

Things I like for diarrhea:

The Elemental diet
The Elimination Diet
Breathing exercises, meditation, stress management
L-glutamine powder
Herbs to soothe the gut lining “mucilaginous herbs” such as Slippery elm, Marshmallow, and Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra not the candy!)
Anti-inflammatory herbs Curcumin, Tumeric, Yarrow.
So most people just want me to give them something that will immediately stop the diarrhea. This strategy may or may not be successful. I strongly encourage anyone with chronic diarrhea to work directly with a trained professional to determine the cause of the diarrhea, natural medicines may help to regenerate and soothe the gut lining but are not very helpful when we haven’t figured out what is really going on! Next time you visit your doctor please don’t “forget” to bring up this subject…

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

There is not much worse than being cursed with the diarrhea and vomiting of the stomach flu.

The stomach flu is typically a gastroenteritis caused by a virus or bacteria spread from person to person, or infected water or food.

The unfortunate symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea should resolve within 72 hours of onset.

If symptoms persist, if they are accompanied by abdominal pain, bleeding, high fever, or extreme symptoms a doctor’s visit would be necessary.

Otherwise there is not much your doctor can do for you other than make sure that you are not dehydrated. It is best if you just stay home to prevent infecting the rest of the world with the stomach flu.

• Simply stay on clear fluids such as chicken broth, diluted juices or electrolyte solutions such as recharge or Emergen C.

• If you vomit up even small amounts of fluids try drinking a teaspoon of liquid and then doubling that every 15 minutes until you are up to speed again. They say it is better to vomit up the fluid then to simply not drink it at all. Children can be given Pedialyte popsicles or fluid and Jell-O to ensure their fluid intake is optimal. A high fever causes dehydration so even if vomiting and diarrhea are no longer present be sure to provide adequate amounts of clear liquids.

• Once food is able to be reintroduced the BRAT diet is commonly recommended by most doctors. BRAT stands for “Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast” Be sure the rice is white as is the toast. Yes this is the rare occurrence that I am recommending white foods so enjoy! Also helpful for slowing down diarrhea are blueberries, cinnamon, plain yogurt (to replenish the good bacteria) and a tea made from a tablespoon of brown rice in a cup of water. This is a popular diarrhea remedy for those suffering from HIV induced diarrhea, you can then eat the rice after drinking the “tea”.

If you are experiencing diarrhea in this 72 hour period, you are best off not to suppress the diarrhea with some over the counter medicines (unless of course it is your wedding or there is some VERY special event going on). The body is simply trying to flush out the “bad guys”.

So as long as you are not getting dehydrated or experiencing any blood in your stools allowing the diarrhea to run (no pun intended) it’s course while supporting your body is the fastest way to recover from the stomach flu.

Remember you can do a spring cleaning or just wait for nature to give you one in the form of diarrhea!

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Cornsilk tea is a fabulous soothing treat for an irritated bladder. Whether you are using it for preventing a bladder infection, or calming the irritation of interstitial cystitis a form of irritable bladder. Horsetail and marshmallow root can also be safe and calming to the lining of the bladder. The demulcent properties of these teas are great for preventing bladder infections because the slippery nature of the glycosaminoglycans prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

*Under Construction*

Although much of what is discussed here at “the kitchen table” is based off the premises of good common sense backed by the fundamentals of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and all our other favorite basic sciences, I am happy to report that we are an “evidence based medicine” friendly site.

This means that all foods, herbs, and nutrients discussed here have research to support them, as most of my colleagues and I typically practice “evidenced based medicine”.

Some research however is so overwhelmingly evident that I have streamlined the research articles down to represent the best studies in the latest research.

For the sake of efficiency and space conservation blog articles with multiple references are not listed at the end of each article, but archived here via name, disease state, and/or symptom.

If you are looking for a research article for instance supporting the use of vitamin D in “The Sundene Protocol for Seasonal Depression”, you will find it conveniently listed under “Vitamin D” or “Depression”.

Only peer reviewed journal articles available at www.pubmed.gov are used by the physicians at this site to maintain the integrity of our occupations as Naturopathic Physicians.

The purpose of this reference page is not only to reduce needless extra page content, but also to conveniently keep busy docs up to date with the latest in alternative medicine research. If you are not familiar on a study linking “Lycopene and prostate cancer” for instance you will find it listed below under the heading of either “Lycopene” or “Prostate Cancer”.

If you are an MD that enjoys reading research articles you might appreciate the opportunity to peruse some of the following “good” research articles on complimentary medicine. I say “good” because it is tough to get someone to fund an exceptional double blind randomized control trial on the therapeutic potential of eating broccoli.

Who is going to pay for that? The broccoli company? Shoot, maybe someday I just will, but even then, what should we use for placebo? Cauliflower? Should we blind fold them at every meal then?

Nevertheless, in the interim there is still plenty of “good” and “decent” and occasionally “excellent” research out there supporting what we discuss at Kitchen Table Medicine as we motivate people to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle. To understand the philosophy and practice of using alternative medicines feel free to check out our Favorite Books page to get you pointed in the right direction. Although the medicines we use have research supporting their efficacy we still aim to follow the principals of Naturopathic Medicne and treat the whole person whenever possible, rather than treating each symptom individually. You may also be interested in reading up on Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine practices as their healing systems appear to be providing health promoting results. Much better than our current “sick care” system in America, as described by US Surgeon General, Jocelyn Elders.

This page is frequently updated so please feel free to bookmark it and check back to see what is new on your favorite topics of interest!

You are always welcome to share any new favorite research articles in the comments of this page, and I will integrate and update as time allots.

Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 E Palisades Blvd, Suite 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed.

For appointments please visit http://FHnaturopathic.com for more information about Naturopathic Medicine services.
©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™