Autism Awareness Month

By Trécera Lee

April is Autism Awareness Month.

Sad that we have to have special “days” in order for the world to recognize that autism is EVERYWHERE!

Today, I’m asking, “What do YOU want the world to know about autism?”

What information are you willing to share in the hope that others may learn from you?

It can be:

• How do you feel about autism?

• How do you feel your child is affected?

• How is your family/life affected?

• Struggles of autism?

• Joys of autism?

• ANYTHING

Here’s what I want the world to know: Read more

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 ™

Depression Tip: Mark Your Calendar

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Did you take your anti-depressant today?

Did you take it yesterday and the day before that?

Can you even remember?

Depression can create such a fog that we can’t remember what we did yesterday, let alone if we took our anti-depressant.

Oftentimes patients are having unnecessary mood swings because they either:

A. Are so depressed they can’t even take it for whatever reason.

Or

B. “I’m feeling better, so I just take it when I feel like I need it.”

Now both of these scenarios can be improved upon with a little organization. Let’s mark our calenders!

First of all, if you fall in category A, you need to talk to your doctor about a more aggressive treatment plan. If you fall in to category B, you need to remember that regardless if you are taking natural or prescription meds for depression, that overall you will feel better with consistency, and consistency means marking the calendar and taking the prescribed supplements or drugs DAILY.

The problem with this inconsistent paradigm of thinking is that most antidepressants have a half life of several days, so they tend to stay in your system even if you aren’t taking them. If you feel fine one day and decide to skip it, it this choice likely won’t have a significant impact until the drug cycles out of your system several days later, when you are depressed, taking your anti-depressant, and waiting for it to “kick in” again.

If you are feeling better, you can talk to your doctor about decreasing your prescription meds. Maybe you just need a half dose. Or maybe it is time to titrate off them and try some natural medicines for depression as I discussed in my article “The Nine Best Natural Medicines for Depression” to help provide simple depression prevention, aka daily maintenance.

St.John’s Wort was shown to be just as efficacious as standard anti-depressants, yet with fewer side effects (be cautious when combining with MANY prescription drugs though, as the drug metabolizes them at a faster rate…esp birth control pills, be careful unless you want to name your kid John.)

I know you are depressed, so give yourself a sticker for sticking to your regime consistently, everything feels like a chore when depressed.

Mark it on the calendar, or find your own system, but by all means make sure you are taking a second to keep track of your depression meds. The best way to stay out of the hole is to make sure there is not a hole in your preventive plan for depression.

Read More: Depression Category.

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 ™

Salmonella Outbreak: The Soil and Seed Model of Medicine

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

With all the FDA warning notices flooding my email box about the FDA recalling this product and that product for possible salmonella contamination, I am reminded of Stephen Paget’s wonderful theory in nature cure medicine called “Soil and Seed.”

The theory is that if the soil is not fertile, the seed will not plant.

Anyone who has spent some time in a microbiology lab knows that certain organisms thrive on certain mediums, while other organisms will die in that same petrie dish setting.

When we keep our bodies healthy, we become that petrie dish that only good bacteria should flourish in.

Typically, we think of fertile soil as something healthy but in the case of the seed and soil model, salmonella would be the “seed” and the fertile soil for it to flourish in would be an unhealthy body.

Think about it - why do some people get sick with salmonella and others don’t, even when we have an outbreak of such proportions that I get an hourly email from the FDA about the latest peanut product to avoid?

It all boils down to seed and soil, really.

Straight from the FDA.gov site, “Salmonella is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more serious illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.”

Sure there are microorganisms such as Shigella sonei that will make just about anyone deathly sick if they ingest just ten of them, but for the most part, if we maintain a healthy diet full of whole foods, fruits and veggies, a positive mental attitude, exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices our “soil” suddenly becomes much less “fertile” to the latest proverbial nasty germ or “seed” such as in this Salmonella outbreak case.

Actually many germs such as acidophilus are the kinds of seeds that should grow in our so called “soil,” and make our soil less optimal for pathogenic organisms such as salmonella.

Think of acidophilus vs salmonella as good cops vs bad cops. Whenever you travel, take probiotics such as Sach boulardii before, during, and after. Nothing ruins your vacation like a bad case of diarrhea.

On one of our trips to Hawaii, I was the only one not to get really sick from the rotavirus, and I was the only one eating yogurt every day. Yogurt and other cultured foods such as Kim Chee, Sauerkraut and Kefir are excellent sources of these friendly flora, aka probiotics, the good cops.

It is all about the seed and soil when it comes to salmonella for the most part.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table,

Dr. Nicole

Related Reading:
What is acidophilus
The Five Best Brands of Acidophilus
Preventing Traveler’s Diarrhea with S. Boulardii

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 ™

Parental Alienation

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

I am sure that many of us have witnessed parental alienation first-hand, and it wasn’t until Dr. Phil’s expert labeled it as “child abuse” did I realize it is my obligation to be a “mandated reporter” when I witness an ugly divorce battle between two parents.

Much of what I do as a naturopath is counsel and work to “undo” that which happened during a divorce or other childhood trauma.

Recently, I have been following the story of David Goldman, a man who has been estranged from his son for the past four years, and it got me thinking about the core wound that parental alienation can create in a child.

Children experience the world much differently than adults do, and I would like to invite all parents to consider how important it is to allow both parents be involved in the child’s life, regardless of whether he is a “worthless bum” or she is a “cheating lying witch.” Really, I have heard it all. Divorce is tough enough but the delicate emotions of the children should always be the prime directive.

Nothing makes me more sick to my stomach than parental alienation. This is when one parent uses the court system to push another parent out of that child’s life in an ugly custody situation. Occasionally these acts are necessary and done out of safety, but mostly they are done by one parent, whether consciously or unconsciously, to punish the other parent for cheating, giving up on the marriage, or whatever other reason.

Taking a child away from their parent is the cruelest of punishments of course, but who is suffering the most? The child. The child is suffering, and parental alienation without good cause is emotional child abuse.

If you are doing this, or if you see someone doing this, what you are witnessing is, technically, child abuse. Physicians and teachers are “mandated reporters” which means that it is our duty to report child abuse to CPS when we see it happening.

Of course it is always best to try to talk to the parent that is instigating the alienation first, if possible. But if you don’t feel comfortable doing that then you should make a call to CPS so that your information can be added to the court’s custody decisions. Many states automatically favor the mother and give fathers little to no rights. Being a parent is more than just one Wednesday a week and every other weekend.

The court may set the schedule, but the real decision should be made by your own children. If they need more time with a specific parent then that is what they should get. A child’s mind sees parental alienation as abandonment. “My daddy left me, he doesn’t love me or care about me,” is the typical thought process of the alienated child.

After working with kids and babies for eight years, my advice for new parents when asked is always the same thing, “this baby was born perfect and you are going to mess it up. Every parent messes up. Sometimes trying too hard to be such a perfect parent messes your kid up more than anything, so just relax and enjoy the process.”

But, parental alienation is a preventable mistake. If you are doing it, if you see a friend or family doing it, try to talk some reason in to them. If there are concerns about the parent and they are under investigation, or a restraining order is present, then the visitation can and should still be conducted supervised. The child should be allowed to see the estranged parent at least twice a week, or as often as they need.

If a child is being beaten or sexually molested, they should of course be alienated from the abusive parent; however, a child needs both a mom and a dad if not “a village,” in order to be healthy, and I can guarantee that the worst thing you can ever do to a child is alienate it from either it’s mother or father.

I don’t care how crappy a parent they are. I don’t care if they are a “useless unemployed alcoholic bum,”all parents are perfect in their child’s eyes (well until they become teens.) The interesting psychological aspect of parental alienation is that the child notoriously bonds with the parent they were alienated from and secretly holds a grudge or becomes estranged from the parent that did the alienating. Karmic retribution perhaps.

We need to always be thinking about what is best for our kids, not for ourselves.

Sorry, tough love today, maybe some of you don’t want to hear this from me, but children everywhere are being abused by our court system and all I can do is speak up and encourage parents to open their hearts to what is the absolute best thing for their children.

For more information on parental alienation visit: DivorceSource.com

~Dr. Nicole

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 ™

Does Your Doctor Know Your Real Blood Pressure?

By Rod Newbound, RN

Tips On How To Be In Better Control of Your Blood Pressure Even When You Go to the Doctor

Are you one of those people who rarely go to the doctor? And when you finally make it in for that annual checkup, do you feel a twinge of anxiety? And what’s the first thing that happens? You walk in for your appointment and you wind up sitting for 20 or more minutes in a room full of sick people. Then, when they finally take you back to the cold exam room, the first thing the nurse does is to make you sit on that high uncomfortable exam table with no back support and you can’t even put your feet on the floor.

After you are subjected to this total lack of normalcy, the nurse (or probably even a lesser trained medical assistant) pops a thermometer in your mouth and proceeds to check your blood pressure and pulse. Unless you ask for the results you most likely won’t even be told. Was it high? Should you be worried?

Why Having Your BP Checked Only at the Doctor’s Office is a Problem

Have you ever thought about the fact your blood pressure can vary significantly during the day depending on your level of stress? And stressors can come in many forms, such as…

• Stimulants like a cup of coffee, a can of Mountain Dew, the latest “power drink” or a cigarette
• Maybe you worked all day before your appointment
• Or you failed to have a restful night’s sleep because you were a bit anxious about the appointment
• Someone cut you off in traffic, or you were late because of road construction
• Your boss just told you you’re working Saturday (and you were planning to go fishing)

And what if the person taking your blood pressure is lazy, or hasn’t the necessary training to understand the importance of being accurate… or worse, just doesn’t really care. Think this can’t happen? It certainly can (and does). When I was finishing up my nurse’s training, I was assigned to shadow the nurse in an OB/GYN clinic. Specifically, I was there to learn more about prenatal care. I watched the LPN take one blood pressure after another as these pregnant women came in for their appointments. The blood pressures she wrote down didn’t vary 10 points in the readings. For this to happen with 16 patients is a statistical anomaly. In other words, the likelihood of all these readings being accurate is very slim.

Because these readings were also in the “normal” range, they were unlikely to be checked by the doctor. And in many health care settings, even abnormal readings are rarely rechecked unless there is another reason. This means you could have a blood pressure reading high enough for your doctor to prescribe a medication that isn’t needed by you in a less stressful situation. Or fail to recognize you have a blood pressure that’s abnormal for you.

Stick around to read the conclusion, “How To Know More About Your Blood Pressure Than Your Doctor”

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 ™

How to Get Free Drugs

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

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 ™

Is Your Body a “Money Pit?”

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

I have been having a lot of household disasters of late and decided to watch the free Comcast on demand movie “The Money Pit,” starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long so I could be reminded that my few household problems really aren’t that bad compared to theirs.

Misery sure loves company

If you haven’t seen the movie, basically this young couple gets a smoking hot deal on a beautiful looking home that turns out to be riddled with architectural, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical issues.

They keep sinking more and more and more money in to this house to fix all the problems going haywire until they finally go broke and the house crumbles around them.

Sorry to spoil the ending, but the movie has been out some 20 odd years, and it is always enjoyable for a good laugh. Many home owners can commiserate with the annoying dilemmas of having to fix this and repair that, or be held hostage by a plumber for a ridiculous amount of money.

As I was watching the movie I was reminded of the Chinese proverb, “The time to repair your roof is when the sun is shining.”

For many of us younger, healthy folks it is easy to not want to bother with preventive medicine. It is easy to think we will just “deal with it tomorrow,” or “DWIT” (one of my own personal favorite mottos when crossing things off my “To Do” list.)

However, after working eight years in primary care, I’ve realized that many of us when we hit our 50’s and 60’s turn into the house in the money pit. And let me tell you, being chronically sick is VERY expensive. It can cost you around $800 a month in meds, appointments, co-pays, and so forth.

Preventive medicine for ourselves is pretty much the same as preventive maintenance for our homes.

What was the first clue that the house was going to be in disastrous condition in the movie, “The Money Pit?” I would say it was the alcoholic widow stumbling in all her glory to answer the front door complete with bathrobe and vodka tonic in hand.

The first thing that popped in to my mind is that a vodka loving woman without a husband around is not likely keeping up on the basics of preventative home care (and please no fem-nazi hate mail). Who is she paying to do all the upkeep and preventive maintenance of this glorious mansion? Is she doing it all herself?

Doubtful.

Chronic illness is just like the disastrous progression we watch in “The Money Pit.” First it starts with a simple broken step repair, then we get a few bits of ceiling crumbling on our head, next thing we know the ceiling is crumbling around us, the whole staircase has fallen down, the front door has fallen off, the pipes and septic tank are shot, and Tom Hanks is left trapped in a hole in the floor of the den.

I am sure that many of you that are chronically ill, or elderly, can attest that feeling sick and unhealthy is exactly like being trapped in a hole in the floor of your den. There is all this work around you, yet you are now a victim of your own body and capable of doing only that which your body will allow.

If anything.

The best thing to do with our health, as well as our homes, is to stay on top of these repairs. To have the “roof repaired when the sun is shining” as the Chinese wisely recommends, instead of waiting for the rain to come and dealing with it later.

If you want to stay on top of your health, just subscribe to my blog, follow the simple diet and lifestyle tips that you can readily adopt and think now of how you want to treat your mansion…aka your temple…aka yourself.

Don’t become a money pit.

Preventive medicine is self love at it’s finest and in the long run, that which you invest in yourself will save you money and insure a long, happy, mobile life.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table,

Dr. Nicole

Related Reading:

21 FREE Prentive Medicine Tips

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 ™

How to Naturally Clean Cuts, Scrapes, and Boo Boo’s

My friend, Paramedic Richelle Owens, is here today to tell us the basics on how to clean and maintain minor cuts and scrapes.

Remember that less is more when it comes to wound healing. The worst infections I have seen are usually from the over enthusiastic using a bunch of funky natural medicines, or applying vitamin E oil to a wound before it has scarred up.

The body wants to intrinsically heal. Be sure to have your nurse or doctor check out your latest “boo boo” if it is seems to be beyond the average cut or scrape.

I use Cleanwell antibacterial soap (made with thyme) and Burt’s Bees “Rescue Ointment” to help with scar reduction (and for over-dramatic children that just think they need a little dab of love as well as a colorful band-aid.)

How to Clean Cuts, Scrapes, and Boo Boo’s:

1. Flush the area well with water and mild soap, or even just a clean washcloth and water. DO NOT use harsh products like rubbing alcohol or peroxide… those will burn your kiddo’s wound like crazy! Friction is the key to removing the germs, so washing with water and a little scrubbing is BEST.

2. Dry the area with a clean cloth.

3. Just a dab of Antibacterial Ointment and a sterile bandaid or small bandage with cloth tape.

4. Keep the site covered and dry to prevent secondary contamination and infection. Remove the bandage, wash/dry and reapply antibacterial ointment once a day or as needed, and the wound will heal in no time!

If signs of infection appear such as redness, heat, oozing, pus, pain or so forth please contact your doctor or nurse immediately.

Author: Richelle Owens is a Paramedic, Firefighter, EMT and mother of two little girls in North Carolina.

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 ™

Postpartum Depression: An Interview on Living With PPD

I think it is important for those challenged by illness to feel UNDERSTOOD, and this disease can be a tough one for other friends and family members to truly empathize with.

Postpartum Depression just proves the point that one of my psychology teachers made to, “always check in with people around the happy times too…weddings, babies, new jobs, new homes often precipitate depression as much as unhappy times.”

I have received the gift of hearing many candid disease descriptions over the years, and I hope that this interview will resonate with those in need of understanding Postpartum Depression, or PPD, as we will often refer to it in the following anonymous interview.

Dr. Nicole: When Did you First Develop Postpartum Depression?

I didn’t develop PPD until I had my 3rd and 4th children. Some people experience it with their first baby; that didn’t happen with me. I started to notice symptoms around the 3rd or 4th month after birth. My symptoms consisted of being chronically tired, but not being able to sleep. I noticed I was drinking and smoking more because I felt overwhelmed (self-medicating). I noticed that I was just “not myself”.

I never took naps before, and was now taking them; I never missed appointments before and was now missing them, I have never been late to work and was now late to work every day because I just didn’t feel like I could get out of bed. Your entire day seems so overwhelming; you just don’t even know where to begin, so you’d rather just not begin and hide and pretend everything is okay.

Dr. Nicole: In Your Personal Experience, What Has Postpartum Depression Felt Like?

It feels like you are overwhelmed. When the baby cries you want to cover your ears and pretend its not happening, but you KNOW you have to get up and comfort the baby. You KNOW you need to change their diaper, or feed them, or give them a bath, but you just DON’T want to. You feel like you are forcing yourself to perform “regular mommy duties”, but you just don’t have the energy to. All these thoughts make you think that you are a bad mom.

Dr. Nicole: Has Postpartum Depression interfered with parental bonding?

My PPD has been debilitating and incapacitating. Going to the bathroom feels like a hassle, the thought of taking a shower seems overwhelming. The only thing that makes me feel better is seeing my daughter. Rocking her, playing with her, and feeding her makes me feel better. I feel bad that I have this beautiful little angel, and I am still sad. I feel guilty for being sad and always tired. However, I think I have bonded with her more than any baby I’ve had. I love holding her, I love looking at her, I love her - and I’m sad that I’m sad.

What is the uttermost worst aspect of Postpartum Depression?

The worst part about PPD is having people judge you. I’m not Andrea Yates, I have no desire to hurl my baby out of a window or drown my children in the bathtub. I love my kids, they are the only thing that keeps me going through this horrible disease. I didn’t ask for PPD, and now I feel like I’m being judged and punished for having it. I hated having to leave them for a week and checking myself into a hospital. I hate having to take medication. I hate having a “mental illness”, and admitting to it, because then everyone assumes you’re crazy.

What is Helpful for Your Postpartum Depression? How can your friends and family support you?

Everyone who has PPD just needs a “time-out” occasionally. When you feel overwhelmed, you need to feel like you are allowed to go sit in the bathroom and cry for no reason, and know that someone will be there to help you. You need to get a hug and have someone tell you everything will be okay. You need to NOT have to “make a sandwich” or “do the laundry” or “change a diaper” for 2 minutes. You need support, and for people like me, it’s hard to ask for it. People just need to see how tired you look and allow you to take a break. People with PPD don’t think they are “allowed” to have any of these feelings.

Can women/families prepare for or prevent Postpartum Depression?

There is no way to prevent PPD. You know me, I’m a funny, up-beat person and now I feel horrible, and I feel so guilty for feeling horrible. I cry for no reason, and I’m not a “cryer”. The only way to help a woman with PPD is to recognize the symptoms (chronic exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed with mundane functions, noticing they are not taking care of themselves, paying attention to their eating habits, “self-medicating” with drugs or alcohol, feeling guilty, crying a lot, feeling like they have to hide in a bathroom to take a break, etc…)

To help someone with PPD, you need to spend the time and do the research to assist your loved one. You need to make the doctors appointment, you need to put her in the car and take her there, you need to pick up the prescriptions and make her take them every single day.

You, as a family member or friend, have to do the foot-work because if you are dealing with someone who has PPD, they cannot do any of that. She would be crying in the bathroom, unable to make even that first phone call; knowing she needs help but unable to take the first step.

I dont have any books or online resources, which is probably why I’m in this predicament for the 2nd time.

Any final thoughts you would care to share on PPD?

PPD is so “looked down upon” that I have now have the Dept. of Health and Welfare coming to my house because the kids have missed a few days of school. I called the teachers, counselors, and social workers at the school FROM THE HOSPITAL and told them I was in the hospital, and now my husband was at home with 4 babies and the kids might miss some school because he is overwhelmed.

I asked for homework packs to be sent home. I explained to them why I was in the hospital. I thought I was doing the right thing. Having Health and Welfare randomly show up on your doorstep and threatening to take your children is the worst feeling ever. Having people search your house is retarded. Having people randomly show up because they need to do a “visual check” on the kids is humiliating and insulting.

If I had just called the kids in sick or said we were taking a ski vacation to Tahoe, no one would have cared. BECAUSE I did the right thing, I now feel like I’m being punished.

Dr. Nicole: Thank you for sharing your very personal experience, it was very touching to read for me, and I hope it will resonate with others challenged by PPD.

If anyone else would care to share their personal experiences with Postpartum Depression please do so in the comments. You may do so anonymously or under a fake name for all I care. My only hope is that people can be more aware of this form of depression, and not feel so alone if they are also struggling.

~Dr. Nicole

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 ™

Twenty Tips for Better Sleep

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.

More articles on sleep

References
1. Dement MD PhD, William. The Promise of Sleep. 1999. Dell Publishing. New York, NY.
2. Jacobs PhD, Gregg. Say Goodnight to Insomnia. 1998. Henry Holt and Company. New York, NY.
3. Ross DC, Herbert, Brenner Lac, Keri and Goldberg, Burton. Sleep Disorders. Tiburon, CA. 2000.

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 ™

Being Healed By Our Compulsions

By Mary O’Malley

Author of The Gift of Our Compulsions: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Acceptance and Healing and Belonging to Life: The Journey of Awakening

What would it be like if your compulsive behaviors were no longer problems that you need to get rid of? What would it be like if they became doorways into the clarity, peace and joy you long for instead? This is entirely possible.

It is possible not only to release yourself from your compulsive urges but also to become free from the core compulsion we all have, the compulsion to struggle with ourselves and with our lives. And we are masters at it. I love to say that we are like little old people endlessly trying to unravel a ball of yarn and all the while we are sitting in paradise.

Your compulsion, rather than being the enemy, can be a guide through the world of struggle and back into a deep and trust filled relationship with yourself and with your life!

It certainly happened for me that way and for many people I have worked with over the years. How did that happen? You may know my story about how I gained 97 pounds in a year and at the same time was washing a lot of that food down with alcohol and taking every kind of pill I could get my hands on.

I tried to stop drugging myself and tried every diet under the sun - only to have them all fail. Was that because I was a weak willed ninny? No! They didn’t work because it is a law of the psyche that what you resist you empower!

But gradually I was taught how to be curious about what I was experiencing rather than always trying to control or change it. And as I learned how to be curious about what was happening within me when I was compulsive, my compulsions calmed down. For it is another law of the psyche that what you embrace ceases to have power over you.

So let’s take a good look at how we have been with our compulsions and recognize that it doesn’t work. 95% of all weight that is lost in the US is gained back plus some within a year and a half. Why is that? Because what we resist we empower, and because how we try to control our compulsions doesn’t work - not in the long run.

There is another way to work with your compulsions, a way that takes you beyond struggle itself. It is what my work and my book, The Gift of Our Compulsions is about. And now I am going to do something that I have never done in these newsletters. I am going to tell you about a CD set I just completed.

I haven’t ever done this because these letters are not about promotion. But these CDs contain a truly life-changing message, a message I want you to hear so that you can move beyond the struggles inside yourself into the joy of truly being fully alive that is your birthright! The CD set is from a workshop I did in DC last spring called, “Being Healed by Our Compulsions,” and it is a window into the incredibly healing experience of moving beyond our core compulsion to struggle with life by being present for what is showing up in our lives.

If it doesn’t call to you, that’s fine, but I invite you to at least contemplate the radical notion that your compulsions are a gift from life to wake you up out of struggle. As Stephen Levine would say, “May you be so blessed to come across something you can’t control.”

Why would he say that? Because control is an endless game of the mind, a game that you will never (thankfully) ever win, and because who you are is so much bigger than the game of control. May we use our compulsions to take us beyond the struggling self so we can discover who we truly are, and in that discovery may our world be healed!

~Mary

The Gift of Our Compulsions: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Acceptance and Healing and Belonging to Life: The Journey of Awakening are both available through Amazon, and are highly recommended at the kitchen table.

Mary’s books are both endorsed by Eckhart Tolle who offered the phenomenally successful web class with Oprah on his book “A New Earth”. You can sign up for her monthly newsletters by going to the home page of her web site. Each month you will receive a letter containing insight and information on how to stay in touch with your peace and joy no matter what is happening in your life.

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 ™

Fourteen Ways to Unleash Your Inner Fabulosity

“Unleash your fabulosity on an unsuspecting world.” ~Maven

Everyone wants to be the best version of their self possible right? Giving yourself a few simple gifts is the easiest way to achieve that goal. Everyone is also always asking me as a Naturopathic Physician what I recommend the most, so this page is dedicated to all of my favorite things that will help you unleash that inner fabulosity.

Pick the easiest things to try to start with. As you become more healthy and balanced your body will naturally crave that which is good for you. Becoming healthy will gradually become that much easier.

#1 Freshly ground flaxseeds- One of the cheapest easiest things a person can do to enhance their health is purchase a small coffee grinder that is strictly used for grinding flax seeds. The omega 3 oils in flax are extremely delicate so it is best to grind them up fresh right before you eat them. I thought this was a huge inconvenience when I first learned about it and was disappointed to get rid of my expensive bag of pre-ground flax seeds kept in the freezer, until I simply started to keep a little container of flax seeds with a tablespoon scooper on the counter right next to the grinder.

It literally takes a minute to make a few tablespoons of ground flax to add to smoothies, brown rice, soups, or salads. Flaxseeds are also rich in protein, fiber, and have phytoestrogen like properties for those going through menopause. A tablespoon of ground flax has 2 grams of fiber.

# 2 Blueberries- The freezing process of blueberries actually makes the proanthocyanin pigments inside more bioavailable. Eating a half cup to a cup of lightly thawed blueberries daily is a delicious trick for slowing down aging, protecting your heart, and reducing inflammation.

#3 Fish Oil- Be sure to buy a quality salmon oil that has been independent laboratory tested for mercury content as the FDA does not currently regulate vitamins and supplements. While flaxseeds are a great source of omega 3’s the body actually has to convert them to the docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosopentanoic acid (EPA) via the delta -6-desaturase enzyme which some people lack or is not functioning properly because they are deficient in the enzymatic cofactors, especially common in vegans as they tend to be deficient in the minerals necessary for biochemical conversion. Most people of northern European decent tend to suffer from this problem because traditionally their diet was rich with cold water fish. Signs that you are omega 3 deficient include: excessive ear wax, dry skin, dandruff, calluses on the heels, and any signs of inflammation or any condition that involves inflammation especially cardiovascular disease.

I typically recommend Carlson lemon flavored cod liver oil in the green bottle, because it is widely available at most health food stores. This doesn’t mean there aren’t other quality fish oils to choose from, I am simply trying to reduce confusion surrounding fish oil. You get more bang for your buck if you purchase a liquid oil instead of capsules. One to two teaspoons of fish oil a day taken with meals is a great way to supplement the omega 3 oils that our body’s rely on for necessary brain and nervous system functioning.

#4 Sleep- Working to improve your sleep will absolutely improve your overall health. Building good sleep hygiene habits will definitely serve you well in the long run.

#5 Water- A five percent decrease in hydration easily translates to a 25% decrease in overall energy. Water is the easy cure all and fix all for most people that are dehydrated. I can’t tell you how many headaches and bad cases of fatigue or muscle cramps I have “healed” by simply recommending 8- eight ounce glasses of water daily.

#6 Green tea- The key to preventing disease and aging well is to have plenty of antioxidants in your diet from fruits and vegetables and green tea. Green tea also has “thermogenic properties” which means that it helps you to burn fat. Start substituting one cup of green tea for a cup of coffee each day until you are eventually switched off of coffee. You don’t have to entirely give up coffee, just save it for special social occasions, or those mornings when green tea just isn’t going to cut it.

There are many different flavors of green tea available and some definitely taste better than others. The Japanese are role model “health nuts” as they use a really fine powdered green tea that is whisked in hot water for their tea ceremonies. I can only imagine how rich in antioxidants that intensely bright green tea is! Asian tradition always uses the freshest, most high quality foods possible. Americans would be much healthier if they adopted this philosophy and stopped stocking up on “dead foods” at warehouses each month to “save money”. It is unavoidable that you will have to pay for your health one way or another and you might as well do it with fresh healthy organic foods and a gym membership instead of medications and hospital visits.

#7 Exercise- I would say that most people that exercise regularly can get away with having a myriad of other bad health habits. I’m not saying that you should start exercising and then adopt a bunch of new bad habits. But, exercise does seem to cancel out much of the bad eating and bad lifestyle decisions that most of us make. Adopting a regular fitness program is the absolute key to “unleashing your inner fabulosity” while preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, and anxiety to name a few.

#8 Vegetables are essentially “free foods” meaning that they have virtually no caloric value. This means that we should all be able to eat most veggies liberally while reaping the vast rewards of the vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, and fiber content for virtually no calories or other consequences. Veggies and artichoke dip, nut butters, or hummus are a great snack because the calories from the dip is basically incidental since the veggies are so low in calories.

Find a new vegetable to “make friends with” each week at the grocery store. Ask friends for recipe ideas or have fun together experimenting with how to cook new vegetables. Try to eat a “rainbow” of vegetables each day. Some of the best “free foods” are: Celery, broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, asparagus, peppers, spinach, kale, and sprouts to name a few.

#9 Emergeng-C is a great thing to keep on hand for after exercising, fatigued afternoons, or when you feel like you are coming down with a cold. Sometimes a packet of this in some water is all you need to get perked back up for you day.

#10 Designer Protein is my favorite readily available protein powder. It is a whey based protein powder that is great for athletes. Starting your day with a protein smoothie takes a matter of minutes and a busy person can even drink it on their commute. Simple add 1-2 cups of soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk, a cup of frozen fruit (great way to get in your cup of blueberries for the day), a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and 1-3 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds. Protein and fiber for breakfast will keep you energetic and feeling satisfied for your day.

#11 Chewable fiber tablets are a great way to “cheat the system” for those with diabetes, trying to lose weight, or just stabilize their blood sugar for better energy. Fiber tablets are great to keep on hand for those occasions when you eat too many carbohydrates and need to pull down the “Glycemic Load” of a meal. Fiber also increases the “satiety index” which means you will stay full feeling longer than usual.

Cholesterol and toxins are also pulled out of our system through fiber, so fiber is essential to a good detoxification program. Most people do not consume enough whole grains or fruits and vegetables to meet the recommended minimal requirements for fiber. Until you have perfected your diet you might want to consider a chewable fiber tablet to keep on hand. Be sure to purchase those from a quality health food store that are without artificial sweetners and chemical additives.

#12 Breathing- learning to breathe appropriately as a means to reduce stress is a very easy way to lower stress and keep centered in this crazy world. Breathing exercises are a great thing to practice at the end of the day to calm ourselves down. Whenever I find myself bored I find myself concentrating on my breathing. Set aside five minutes out of your day to work on deep breathing to properly oxygenate your system.

#13 My favorite diet: is the Low Glycemic Index Diet. Although it is intended for those with diabetes, I sincerely believe it is the best diet for most people wanting to lose weight, keep a steady amount of energy throughout their day, prevent aging, and stay satisfied in between meals.

#14 Gratitude- Things are almost never perfect, but they can always be worse, right? Focusing on what is positive in your life was recently shown to improve mood and reduce depression in those that listed the three positive attributes about each day. Share your successes large and small with your family over the kitchen table each night. Keeping a positive mental attitude and seeing the humor in things is the easiest way to reduce stress.

Optimal health is about keeping yourself in balance. Usually it is as simple as adding a few good things in to your routine so that a few other bad things can get shoved out. Most of the favorites listed above are the “foundations of health”. You wouldn’t build a house on a cracked or weak foundation, and neither should you try to build your health without these basic foundations.

Start with the changes that are the easiest to make and then work your way along from there. Enjoy the process of realizing how this positive change you are trying to get going is making you feel better. Each year we need to tighten up the reigns on our health care routine if we expect to experience the same level of health as the year prior, and even that much more if we want to be that much better, stronger, faster, healthier, and more fabulous.

Let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to share your favorite things in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by my “kitchen table”.

~Dr. Nicole

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 ™

10 Self Coaching Fundamentals

By Tim Brownson

Author of Don’t Ask Stupid Questions - There Are No Stupid Questions

I was talking to somebody the other day about fluff. I’m not referring to the stuff that finds its way into your belly button, but book fluff or filler. I could easily distill several of the seminal self-development books into a few paragraphs if I was so inclined.

The thing is though, nobody spends $20 on one piece of mass produced paper no matter what words of wisdom are printed on it. So writers have to bulk their books out to deliver perceived value and get people to hand over their hard earned cash.

I’ve decided to unbulk the coaching process and invent a new word into the bargain. Here are ten tips that if you follow will guarantee an improvement in the quality of your life, or I’ll give you your money back.

#1 Align With Your Values

Unless you know what your core values are you will struggle with blocks in your life. All your decisions are based around your values and what you consider imperative to your life.

For example, if you have a number one value of integrity and work for a business that rips off its customers (even if you are not involved in the actual process) then you will feel uncomfortable either consciously or unconsciously.

There are also away from values, things that you move away from at all costs and again you should know what these are as they can frequently be the reason why you just can’t follow through with somethings no matter how hard you try.

#2 Happiness is Internal

Yeh, yeh, yeh, I know, it’s a cliché. I don’t care though because it’s true. Chase money, possessions, titles as much as you want, but realize that they wont bring you happiness. You already have that if you can be bothered to dig around and look for it. Being in complete alignment with your values will help you find happiness.

#3 Beliefs Aren’t Real

Your belief system is something that you’ve built up over your life. It comes from your parents, your friends, your colleagues and many other sources. It is evolving and changing all the time.

You probably believe in the tooth fairy, but somebody told me only last week, she really doesn’t exist. Disappointing though that is, especially as I have been stock piling my new puppies teeth for a big payday, we just have to accept reality and change the belief.

What false beliefs about your abilities are you holding onto that are holding you back? When you know they are, undermine them, look for counter examples and replace them with more empowering beliefs. After all, if you think you can, you probably can.

#4 The Map Is Not The Territory

This is a presupposition of NLP and critical to understanding and making changes. Just because you view something one way doesn’t make it so. Everybody has his or her own map and theirs is just as accurate as yours. Adopting that one belief will remove conflict from your life.

#5 Use Perceptual Positions

If in moments of introspection you can take a step back and view your life or any given situation from a watchers point of view you will often see things that you can’t see from your angle. It can also be useful to take the 2nd person position, which involves seeing you through the eyes of the person you are talking to or involved with. Most people resist this especially when coming under attack, be different.

#6 Write it Down

Whether it is goals or simply ideas you have on trying to improve your life put them on paper. The sheer act of writing something down sends a message to the unconscious mind that you are serious about what you are doing that it need to get to work on bridging the gap between where you are now and where you want to go.

#7 Every Action has a Positive Intention

This is another NLP presupposition. Even when you do what sometimes seem like ridiculous things there is always a positive intent behind it. It may take some digging to get to it but it is there.

Taking smoking as an example. It can seem self-destructive and often smokers that want to quit will refuse to see the benefits, but they are there. By accepting that your actions are not there to harm you (even self-harm fits into this category) you are infinitely more likely to be able to make changes

#8 Model

If you are unsure how to do something copy somebody that is proficient. This is how children learn to speak and it is how we get good at something quickly. Too many people are frightened of asking for help because they think it makes them look weak. In my not so humble opinion, not asking for help makes you look stupid.

#9 Make Mistakes

Mistakes are feedback, they are nature’s way of telling us we need to adjust to take stock and reconsider. They do not mean we are failure as a person just that we failed at a task. Relish mistakes, hug them, caress them and thank them for dropping by because they are helping you to learn.

#10 Be Kind To Yourself

This is so important to get a handle on. There really is no need EVER to beat yourself up, be kind to yourself like you would a loved one. We all make mistakes, even the super successful make mistakes, try and learn from them and move on. Too many people seem to be great at beating themselves up and terrible at praising themselves. Give yourself some credit from time to time, you deserve it!

Tim Brownson is a UK qualified Life Coach, NLP Master Practitioner and certified Hypnotherapist and author of Don’t Ask Stupid Questions - There Are No Stupid Questions.

He coaches both face-to-face in Orlando and over the telephone with clients all over the United States, Canada and ‘back home’ in the UK.

Subscribe to Tim’s free life coaching blog, and stop by his bookstore for more life coaching motivation.

Related Reading:

What is a Life Coach?
How to Quit Smoking
How to Transform Fear

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 ™

How to Filter the Water for Your Entire Home

“The Importance of Home Water Filters”

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Have you ever wished you could filter more than just the water you drink?

I mean there are shower water filters out there too but that still doesn’t decrease the amount of pollutants and chlorine your children, pets, and clothing are exposed to. Chlorine free is especially important for anyone with asthma, skin problems, multiple chemical sensitivity or “perfume allergy,” and those with newborn babies and young children.

We are bathing in chlorine, cooking with chlorine, washing our already dry hands in chlorine, and constantly inhaling the chlorine fumes in our homes that derive from our shower water, kitchen, and laundry rooms. The things we do to get clean are ironically making us “dirty” on the inside. Chlorine not only gives the liver an extra workout, but it also ages our cells making for a shorter over-all lifespan and youthful appearance.

A while ago an environmental medicine professor at my school highly recommended just filtering the water straight from the main source. I mean it sounds a bit expensive and extreme, but when you think about all the other stuff we spend our money on in the name of health and beauty, we should seriously consider purifying the water we drink and the steamy fumes from our showers, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Actually what could be simpler?

Even if your municipal water is free of every other possible contaminant, it is still full of chlorine, and chlorine ages us. Reducing chlorine is an important part of my anti-aging program.

I was checking our new kitchen table partner AquaSauna the other day and was excited to see that they carry entire home water filters!

Of course you can just filter your kitchen sink tap water (which I always recommend filling up your own recycled glass bottles instead of drinking bottled water). And of course you can filter your shower water which you should do because one shower equals the total chlorine of drinking eight glasses of municipal tap water. But the best thing most home owners, parents, and pet lovers can do is just filter it straight at the source. Is that not a dream come true? Clean chlorine free water throughout your entire house? How liberating! Especially since one system is supposed to last for 3 years or 300, 000 gallons-I think it also saves the headache of having to keep up with all the replacing all the various water filters in your home.

I had heard initially that these ingenious systems run around $3000 dollars to have this set up but according to Aquasauna’s page it really is only $799 plus the price of installation (okay I know many plumbers charge more than heart surgeons especially on a holiday, but I doubt this is anywhere near a full day project for a plumber.)

These home water filters are also on sale right now, so you will receive a 20% discount as noted on the Whole House Water Filter page.

Our list of trusted list of resources on the kitchen table home page has been updated with Aquasauna’s links for your shopping convenience.

Of course our partnership with Aquasauna donates a small percentage of sales to kitchen table, so it may seem rather shameless to talk about the stuff over there that I really like, but if you have been looking for a great home water filter for a while, I would recommend checking out Aquasana.

I find their prices to be really reasonable, and the quality and customer service to be exceptional. As a naturopathic physician, people are always asking me for product recommendations. so I will start with this as my first official recommendation -after about a year of writing at the kitchen table and trying to avoid making specific recommendations.

We research and choose our partnerships here at the kitchen table for quality, safety, efficacy, and environmentalism. We always hold that which we recommend to the highest of standards, and our goal is to make healthy living affordable for everyone.

With a 90 day no hassle return policy you really don’t have to worry if you will like what you purchase over at Aquasauna.

If you ever have a problem with a product I recommend here at the kitchen table I would like to know right away. I strive to research the best and most affordable options for whole food and chemical free living, and we like to thank our sponsors by occasionally recommending our favorite stuff they keep in stock and reward our readers with useful sales, education and resources.

Of course you are welcome to shop anywhere you like, but if you do choose to purchase something through one of our well researched recommendations we simply thank you for helping keep kitchen table a constantly updated free natural medicine publication.

Dr. Nicole Sundene

Editor-in-chief of Kitchen Table Medicine

Read more: Anti-Aging Tips, Anti-Aging 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 ™

How are you Voting for your Health?

Call me old fashioned but I refuse to vote by absentee ballot. I just love Election Day, and to me there is something really special about driving to the same elementary school year after year and filling out my ballot alongside everyone else in my community. There is that certain spirit in the air. That friendly neighborhood free cookie and coffee hour that can’t quite be replicated anywhere else. “Does my vote really make a difference?” I always wonder to myself as I look around the crowded room.

It certainly does to me.

Election time is about much more than voting for the lesser of two evils, it is about taking the time to educate ourselves about the issues.

As I carefully went through my voter’s ballot one last time, I realized, “wow voting is just like making healthy decisions!” Voting can be simple, and voting can be tough. There is that clear section in your voter’s pamphlet that you quickly breeze through, and then there are those decisions that you still aren’t certain about after never ending research and reading. What does this issue even mean? Do I need to hire an attorney to translate this legal gibberish? You may be left even at the last minute to deliberate over what is right and what is wrong.

Whether my vote is actually counted or not, I am left that much more educated as I submit my passionately researched opinions on how this world should be -in to the giant garbage can er…ballot counter.

We are truly blessed in our country to at least be given choices, even if they aren’t the best choices, they nevertheless are still choices. The freedom of choice is what makes America the amazing country that it is. Your choice may not always make the difference in America, but it does make a difference in you.

One thing that always ticks me off year after election year though is the blanket statement “everyone should vote.”

Do you really think everyone should vote? Sometimes I think that people should be forced to take a basic test on the issues and pass it before they can vote. Now I am not saying this to offend people that can’t read. Really, you shouldn’t have to even know how to read in order to vote, illiterate people can and should still be allowed to vote—as long as they are educated on what they are voting about!

What happens when we don’t educate ourselves on the issues and just go blindly vote? Does the thought of hundreds of thousands of uneducated voters making decisions about our government terrify anyone else?

One uneducated vote is actually enough to throw off an entire election.

In this year’s presidential election the “vote was rocked” by all the previously apathetic people that never really cared enough to go out and vote. That is what made the difference. That is what got the underdog in to office. That is what has created a great deal of hope that, “change is coming”, “that race is not an issue”, “that the average person can be president” (well George W. already demonstrated that) and that MLKJ’s dream that “people are not judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character,” has alas come true. At least the majority of the American population is now looking at character and not color. We are progressing!

The votes of the previously apathetic are what has made American history. In all reality that is more amazing than the first African American being elected to office. Apathy is a far bigger problem than prejudice these days. Of course there are still and will always still be ignorance around race, but we have an entire Generation of “X”ers that don’t care about anything except video games and Sex in the City. Young people everywhere are starting to take pride in their country, starting to see that “this is MY country too.” People in Seattle have been dancing in the streets, making eye contact, and some strangers have even been caught making polite small talk despite the start of the nine month rainy season.

Regardless of your party preferences, I think we can all agree that the choice to vote is a right that many Americans take for granted. You shouldn’t just go blindly vote, it is important to educate yourself on the issues at hand, the pros, the cons, and then to support things moving in a positive direction.

Every day, everywhere you go, you are given a choice. You are given an opportunity to vote for your health. Sometimes the choices aren’t that great like “do you want fries with that?” or “diet coke or regular coke” or “pumpkin pie vs mince meat pie” and “sugar or something made from sugar?” But nevertheless they are choices that we should still attempt to think about.

Is Barack Obama right? Is change really coming? Only you can decide.

It’s the synergy of these little daily choices that build us up; or stack up as obstacles in our path.

In naturopathic medicine one of our main nature cure healing principles is to “remove the obstacles to cure”. The body wants to heal. The body wants to repair. It is the intrinsic nature of the body to constantly heal and repair, but the body also requires the right tools, the foundation has to be properly set, and obstacles must be removed from the path of “The Healing Power of Nature” or “The Vis Medicatrix Naturae” or “The Vis” as most naturopaths fondly refer to it. “The Vis is strong in this one,” you can go around joking to all your healthy friends if you want to be nerdy like me.

Obstacles to healing typically come from our unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices. All the white refined food garbage we eat, stagnation, negative thinking, unhealthy relationships, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc, etc…nag, nag, nag…these are all the roadblocks to healing.

Sometimes the right choices are crystal clear. Everyone knows drugs are bad. Everyone knows smoking kills. Everyone knows 1-2 glasses of wine a day not the whole bottle, right? But when it comes to our diet things can be a bit trickier. We usually are left picking between what appears to be the lesser of two evils. So what would you vote for:

High Fructose Corn Syrup or Aspartame?

Wow!!! Did I really just vote for High Fructose Corn Syrup? Well, I was left no choice when it went head to head with aspartame. *sigh*

Which is the lesser of the two evils? High fructose corn syrup as noted in Dr. Scott Olson’s amazing book about sugar addiction, “Sugarettes” is linked to obesity, diabetes, aging to our arteries, and hypoglycemia. Whereas aspartame, is guilty of causing a “cephalic response” which leads to obesity and weight gain. In the cephalic response the brain is tricked by the sweet taste of aspartame and then tells the pancreas to secrete insulin, despite normal levels of glucose. This insulin dump causes low blood sugar or “hypoglycemia” which makes you hungry, and ultimately leads to being overweight.

Is aspartame not the biggest joke in health “care”? The man made garbage you are drinking to lose weight is making you fat? Yikes the issues can be deceiving, and just like in politics, the government refuses to acknowledge this conundrum, while both the FDA and American Diabetic Association also refuse to acknowledge that sugar causes diabetes (type II) and weight gain. (Source: OlsonND)

Yet another reason that politics mirror health care—you don’t always agree with the government!

Do you trust the government? Do you believe every single bit they tell you? Whether you do or you don’t the correct answer is “you shouldn’t always.” The government has to keep prison and school caffeteria programs funded so the average American best not base their “optimal daily allowance” off what the government says. I think the RDA should be called the MDA for “Minimal Daily Allowance”. The government also only cares about the collective and not the individual. There is no “NDA” (Nicole’s Daily Allowance).

So—now that you have been educated on aspartame vs high fructose corn syrup, do you still want to vote for aspartame? My guess is “no” if you are trying to use aspartame as a weight loss aid.

“Well Dr. Nicole, sugar makes people fat too, and high fructose corn syrup is converted by the liver to fat-all biochemists know that fructose is typically converted in the liver to fat,” you may argue.

Which I would then deliberate back that aspartame has MORE consumer related complaints than any other man made substance we consume. Frankly I don’t even have all day to rattle off the ever-growing list of skin rashes, autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, arthritis, cancer, mood disorders, so forth and so on that consumers are reporting to the FDA. Thus I am left to make an ugly vote for high fructose corn syrup.

Rarely in health just like in politics, are we ever given a win-win situation to deliberate over like “soup or salad?” You can’t fail on that choice, unless the soup is a rich fatty cream base with chunks of sausage, or the salad is a lifeless sad case of iceberg lettuce and Thousand Island dressing.

My point with this rambling about voting for our health is that every single day, every place you go you are given the power of choice. Exercise that power with extreme privilege. Educate yourself on the issues. Read one new health tip every single day. Create a new whole foods recipe each day. Our day to day choices do in fact have influence not just on us but on our environment and those around us.

We live in a country where we have the constitutional right to choices, and many of us are not exercising these rights when it comes to our health. It may initially be overwhelming to think about all the diet choices we have to make, but in the end it all boils down to the same thing whether you are voting for a candidate or voting for your health—education. Educate yourself on the issues and then make your decisions based off your values, based off what works for YOU.

The more you educate yourself on the things you choose to put in your body the healthier you will inevitably become. We truly “are what we eat,” and the tritest expression in nutrition should be the motivator behind all your health decisions. What are your values? Who do you really really really want to be? Fat or thin? Healthy or unhealthy? Organic or Polluted? Positive or negative? Fit or fat? Selfish or contributory? Environmental or Apathetic? Believer or Non-believer? Who do you want to be?

You are invited to decide that today.

If you want to prevent disease, if you want to be healthy, if you want to teach your children by example; if you want to be that positive person and most importantly if you want to inspire the people around you by the choices you make—the bigger “votes” although initially tough—become that much simpler.

Hmmm…that gym membership is suddenly worth it, that home cooked meal at the kitchen table is suddenly worth the extra effort rather than just another night of drive through dining. Reading your child a book before bed suddenly becomes a million times more special than drinking a fat glass of wine in front of the television. Maybe that extra 20 cents for that organic apple really isn’t that bad after all when we decided to vote with our consumer dollars against pesticides being allowed to poison our environment and our children, and our children’s environment. Your consumer dollars are always voting too.

It all boils down to living by your values.

What is it that you really value? Life coach and author, Tim Brownson is constantly nagging me…er…um…I mean… he is always INSPIRING me to consider my values, and some of the healthy or environmental things I have previously been in a naturopathic rebellion against have more easily slid into place.

Anyone that has been chronically ill—that has been so sick that they have seen death’s door and made it back again knows the value of their health. If you have visited death’s door you do not take your health for granted. You realize you were given a second chance, you were given life. You choose life and you choose everything that supports the existence of your life. Unfortunately those of us that have not been forced to pay that visit to death’s door, have no clue what the true value is in our health. We may never fully understand until it is too late.

As a result, our health is always a value that will get cast aside with apathy. And apathy is the biggest war we have to wage for this century.

Whether you are traveling, visiting a friend, dining out, or eating at your kitchen table-you are always given choices. Get political, vote for the lesser of the two evils. Use your money as your ballots. That is exactly what keeps us always moving in a healthier direction. That is how we save the environment and ourselves. That is how we prevent disease. One day at a time, one choice at a time.

One healthy vote at a time.

Ha- you thought Election Day was over now did you? Sorry I can’t let you off the hook that easy, voting season has just begun. Now get out there and make your votes count!

“Progress not perfection.”

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Related Reading: 45 Years to American Health Care

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 ™

How to Transform Fear

By Mary O’malley

Author of The Gift of Our Compulsions: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Acceptance and Healing and Belonging to Life: The Journey of Awakening

In his first inaugural speech in 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…”

This was a profound thing to say given the economic climate of that time and was intended to shake people out of their focus on their material losses.

But what if that is not actually true? What if we don’t need to fear fear. In fact, what would our lives look like if the voice of fear inside of us couldn’t catch us in its web?

This is certainly a time on our planet in which fear is up big time - financial fears, terrorist fears, fear for the future. But what would happen if, rather than being seduced by fear, we could frame this time differently?

Rather than seeing it as a time of breakdown, we could see it as a time of break-through.

Yes, it certainly looks as though things are breaking down, but that is true of all breakthroughs. Think of a woman giving birth. It is challenging and it is messy and it is necessary for her body to contract in order for the baby to be born. What would it feel like to see what is happening on this planet as a time of birth, of going through the contraction of the birth passage so that we can emerge into a more aware level of consciousness?

The key to this birth is a different relationship with fear itself.

Let us go back to the butterfly story we explored last year because it holds the keys to the evolutionary shift we are currently undergoing. For our purposes, the caterpillar represents the old level of consciousness this planet has been living in which is based in fear and reaction.

The caterpillar is, for its size, one of the most destructive beings on our planet, and if you recognize that human beings in the last century killed over 100 million of their fellow human beings in the name of war, it is reasonable to say that we have been in our caterpillar phase.

As the caterpillar’s time comes to an end, it creates a cocoon, and in its dark embrace, the caterpillar turns into goo. Out of that goo comes a wave of what they call imaginal cells - the first appearance of the butterfly. The amazing thing is that the goo kills this first wave of cells! In other words, the old tries to kill the new. Such chaos! And if we looked at all the great evolutionary shifts on this planet, we would see that there is always chaos as the old phase is dying out and the new is being born.

This chaos of the goo killing the new cells of the butterfly causes these imaginal cells to come together into communities that begin to differentiate into the butterfly. This is the place where breakdown (the caterpillar turning into goo) becomes the breakthrough into the new expression of life called a butterfly. The butterfly is life transforming itself as it has done billions upon billions of times as evolution has progressed on this planet. The butterfly is a completely different kind of being than the caterpillar. Rather than being destructive, this new being gives to the world, both beauty and pollination.

I believe that the butterfly of human consciousness is being born - a much wiser, more loving consciousness - and fear is the birth contraction. We are in the “goo phase” where our fear-based perspective on the world is now coming to an end, and more of us are beginning to see the possibility of living from a level of consciousness that is as transformative as the shift from caterpillar to butterfly. This level of consciousness doesn’t divide us like fear does.

Instead it unites.

And at its core it deeply trusts life, so rather than living through fear and all of its reactions (that cause so much devastation on this planet), it lives from wisdom and heart. This allows us to live from the level of consciousness that recognizes we are all in this together and each person is a necessary and integral part of the human family that we are.

You are the place where this evolutionary shift is happening - right there inside of your own mind and heart. Life is asking you to relate to fear rather than believing what it is saying. It is asking you to move from “I am afraid!” to “That is the voice of fear inside of me.”

What would it be like in your life if every time you noticed fear showing up in your mind, you took a breath and came back fully to life right here, right now and said, “I choose to trust life.”

Is this a lot to ask our fear based consciousness? Yes! But fearing life comes from a misunderstanding of life. And trusting life comes from the truth. Life is in charge of life and it is much smarter than our little egos. It has created stars and planets and galaxies and waterfalls and ladybugs and you and me from light, of all things!

To trust life is to step off the cliff of fear and, rather than falling to our death, discover that it is our nature to fly!

~Mary

The Gift of Our Compulsions: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Acceptance and Healing and Belonging to Life: The Journey of Awakening are both available through Amazon, and are highly recommended at the kitchen table.

Mary O’Malley, author of “Belonging to Life” and “The Gift of Our Compulsions”, is offering a retreat February 21st – 27th on the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Molokai.

For our readers she is offering a $200 discount on this nourishing retreat that restores your joy, your trust in yourself, and your connection with life. Visit MaryOmalley.com for more information on Mary, and visit the following link for more information on the Hawaiian retreat Waking Up in Paradise Residential Retreat in Hawaii.

Mary’s books are both endorsed by Eckhart Tolle who offered the phenomenally successful web class with Oprah on his book “A New Earth”. You can sign up for her monthly newsletters by going to the home page of her web site. Each month you will receive a letter containing insight and information on how to stay in touch with your peace and joy no matter what is happening in your life.

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 ™

Terra Tints by Alba Botanica: Product Review

By Kat Lee

There’s nothing that makes me feel prettier than wearing lipstick.

I’m not sure why… it must just be a girl thing. At any rate, I’ve known for quite some time that the ingredients used in lipstick were less than stellar.

However, it was when it was discovered that several mainstream companies had lead in their lipstick products that I decided enough was enough. Then I began my search for quality lipstick that I wouldn’t have to take out a second mortgage to purchase!

It wasn’t easy; let me tell you. First I went to some trendy, all natural shops – and found nothing that cost less than the pair of shoes I was wearing. After that, I asked around and was told that any organic lipstick would cost at least one pair of shoes. In one last desperate attempt, I went to my local farmer’s market, Sprouts (my usual go-to for all natural products) and found several tubes of organic lipstick for almost $20 per tube. To be honest, I didn’t want to shell out that much dough for something that I wasn’t sure I would even like.

Then I saw Terra Tints for only $3.50 per tube. Granted, it’s actually tinted lip balm, not “real” lipstick, but for that price, I was willing to chance it. I picked “Blaze” because it sounded nice and bright, and I was just in that kind of mood that day. When I put it on, it was pretty, red and very lipstick-like. But even better than that, it was menthol tingly. When I put it on my lips, it’s like I’m giving them a hot rock massage, and who doesn’t want that on a dry winter day?

I know, I know, you’re wondering if they’re paying me for this… and the answer is no (although I wouldn’t be opposed). I just really like this product because it meets all my requirements. It’s organic, all natural, pretty, stays on, and doesn’t dry out my lips. I have to say that I’m hooked!

For more of Kat’s fun and fabulous natural beauty reviews stop by http://katzhealthyliving.blogspot.com

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 ™

Flu Shots: Pros and Cons of Employee Vaccination Programs

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

“Do I need a flu shot?” This question always comes up repeatedly this time of year, and I will attempt to present an unbiased review of the pro and con opinons of being vaccinated against influenza.

In the second part of this article we will examine the ethics behind employee mandated flu vaccination programs, and the questionable ulterior motives of flu vaccine manufacturers promoting these mandatory programs.

First of all, I would NOT like my honest critical eye on the cons of the flu vaccine to stop anyone from getting a flu shot. If you feel you need a flu shot—then by all means please go get one right now.

However, if you are a person that prefers to thoroughly examine new medications or vaccines before implementing them, then this discussion is for you. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) makes blanket recommendations based off the research conducted by flu vaccine manufacturers.

These recommendations are designed with the intention to keep as many people healthy and free of influenza as possible, however they address the needs of a POPULATION, whereas this discussion is intended to weigh the benefits vs the risks for the INDIVIDUAL.

Remember that if you do opt out of having a flu shot you have a certain ethical responsibility to the immunocompromised people that can die from influenza related complications. If you indeed get influenza, you should STAY at HOME.

Can a Flu Shot Give Me the Flu?

Before I start my discussion I just need every single person reading this article to wrap their brains around the fact that the flu shot does NOT give you the flu…the flu shot does not even contain a live virus, it just contains an inactive component of the virus so that your immune system can easily recognize the flu virus before it makes you sick. If you get the flu a few days after getting vaccinated it is likely that you CAUGHT the flu in the exact place that influenza is likely proliferating—your doctor’s office.

If you feel ill immediately after having the flu vaccine you are probably having an allergic reaction because you are allergic to eggs; are experiencing normal side effects as your immune system forms antibodies; or are the unlucky one to end up with a rare but very severe and serious condition thought to be related to vaccines called Guillan Barre syndrome.

What are the Side Effects of the Flu Shot?

Typical side effects of the flu shot are fatigue and muscle aches. It is perfectly normal for this to occur for a short period of time while your immune system creates antibodies to the newly introduced vaccine particles. Occasionally some may experience cold like symptoms or soreness at the injection site. Extreme symptoms may occur if you are allergic to eggs. Extreme and (rare) numbness and tingling, or paralyzing symptoms such a Guillan Barre should be reported to your doctor immediately.

How Many People Develop Guillan Barre?

Although only about 2 in 100,000 develop Guillan Barre Syndrome (GBS). There has not been a clear connection between the development of GBS and flu vaccine since the 1976 swine flu vaccine. Most cases develop for unknown reasons. The disease is thought to be autoimmune in nature and the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body, including the nervous system which then may result in paralysis.

Currently the CDC is more concerned about the meningococcal vaccine causing GBS and is investigating complaints related to the administration of Menactra. While GBS is a rare and highly unlikely side effect of influenza vaccine, it may occur with the administration of ANY vaccine. Symptoms typically start with numbness in the hands and feet which may continue to paralysis.

If you think you have these symptoms, or have ever had these symptoms after receiving a vaccination you should notify your doctor immediately, most doctors will not administer vaccinations to anyone suffering from or recovered from GBS.

How Does the Flu Shot Work?

The shot simply primes your system to the new protein sequence of THIS YEARS flu. Early recognition is how the vaccine works to prevent the flu. However, if scientists are unable to correctly identify the new molecular sequence of the flu they anticipate will afflict people in the northern hemisphere this year- six months in advance, then the shot will not be effective in preventing the flu you are exposed to through coughing, sneezing, and other close contact.

How Effective is the Flu Shot?

If researchers pick the correct flu sequences for their vaccines, then the shot is estimated to be preventative for up to 70-90% of HEALTHY people under the age of 65. That is pending of course that the antigenic strains were chosen appropriately. So those numbers are rarely seen, do not promise protection for the immunocompromised, and are the BEST case scenario. Flu vaccine is 80% effective in PREVENTING death from influenza related pneumonia in the elderly.

Why do I Have to get a Flu Shot Every Year?

The influenza virus is constantly changing…thus the vaccine must change each year as well. Effective vaccines provide protection for up to a year and a half. Ineffective vaccines still provide partial protection and typically lesson the severity of the flu.

Who Decides if I Need a New Flu Shot?

Well only YOU can decide if you need a flu shot (unless you are a government employee or work at certain hospitals). Many doctors and nurses push flu shots heavily on patients because that is simply all they know and are what they are taught by the CDC. However, the guidelines made by the CDC are ultimately put together with research done by the producers of the flu vaccine, therefore of course the guidelines are going to be erring on the side of OVER vaccinating everyone in our population.

It all boils down to selling more flu vaccines. This is a major money making industry and should therefore for ethical purposes be cast a critical eye as flu vaccinating is becoming more common yet many previously healthy people are complaining of side effects. Protection from the flu is also nowhere near a guarantee. The vaccine is brand new every single year and is nowhere near as efficacious as most other vaccines we commonly administer.

Are Vaccines Safe?

While vaccines are great preventive medicine, and prevention is the name of the game here at Kitchen Table Medicine, I still think that vaccines are not perfect, and the safest vaccines are the ones that have withstood the test of time, and cycled through multiple generations without incident. Because influenza is constantly modifying it’s own structure, scientists creating a flu vaccine also have to update the flu shot every single year.

This means that the flu vaccine you are given this year is entirely different from last year. This prevents us from ever really knowing if the flu shot can withstand the test off time, because it is essentially a new shot each and every year! Anything new always gets a critical review from me, which is why I choose to exercise extreme caution before administering any new vaccine.

The Hippocratic Oath advises we “First Do No Harm”. In most healthy individuals side effects from flu vaccines can be reportedly quite miserable, and while we are still looking at how vaccination practices may be affecting our children with autism, I think it is better to be cautious in our thinking. With that word of caution being said the most important thing for you to do is READ ON and decide if you or your close contacts are at risk of DYING from influenza…and if so then the benefits likely outweigh the risks.

What is Influenza?

Now influenza is not the stomach flu we commonly refer to as “the flu”. This shot is not preventing you from developing symptoms of a viral gastroenteritis that commonly causes diarrhea and vomiting for 2-3 days. Influenza is “the flu” and influenza causes a high fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting and fatigue-and may develop in to a life threatening case of pneumonia for the elderly and immunocompromised.

How Many People Get Influenza Each Year?

According to the Center for Disease Control 10-20% of the American population will be afflicted with influenza each year.

Who Dies from the Flu?

Although most people feel like they are going to die from the flu, chances are they won’t. Typically the very young, the very old, and those that have weakened immune systems from chronic disease such as HIV, cancer, diabetes as well as chronic heart or respiratory problems are at risk of developing secondary infections such as pneumonia that result in death. Influenza doesn’t typically kill people, it just sets the stage for pneumonia to take over.

How Many People Die from Influenza Each Year?

According to the CDC an estimated 36,000 people die from pneumonia related to influenza. These deaths are not your average healthy people. They are the very old, the very young, and the immunocompromised by chronic disease. If you are in this high risk category then you likely should get a pneumococcal vaccination as well.

Who Should NOT have a Flu Shot:

• People currently ill, feverish, or symptomatic.
• People with previous allergy or extreme reaction to the flu shot.
• People that have developed Guillan Barre from a previous vaccination.
• People with allergies to eggs should absolutely under no circumstance have a flu shot. Even if you suspect that you have an egg allergy you should be cautious with most vaccines as some are grown inside chicken eggs.

It is therefore possible to have a severe anaphylactic allergic reaction to the flu vaccine. Always notify your physician of food allergies for this exact reason. Chances are your food allergy doesn’t really matter that much, except in occasional cases like the flu shot.

Better to be safe than sorry though, right? If you fall in the high risk group and are uncertain if you have an egg allergy ask your doctor to be tested, and if negative for egg allergy you are then able to get the flu vaccine.

CDC Highly Recommends Flu Shots for:

• Immunocompromised people: HIV, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases that suppress the body’s ability to fight infections such as influenza.
• People with chronic respiratory problems: Asthma, COPD, emphesema, lung cancer, babies with respiratory problems.
• People with chronic heart Problems
• Children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years (new change this year, previously was only for children over the age of 6 months and under the age of five).
• Women that will be pregnant during the flu season (get it before you are pregnant if you can, pregnant women should always be cautious about taking ANY medicine while pregnant).
• People who live or work in nursing homes.
• Family members and household contacts of babies under six months of age (six months is the earliest you can vaccinate a child).
• Anyone working with or living with people in this category that are at risk for dying from the flu.

Flu Shot is Considered Optional for:

• Those between the ages of 18 and 50. (CDC changed the pediatric recommendations this year, previously it was 6 to 50. Although two subsequent years of study in the efficacy of flu vaccine in children under the age of five found that the vaccine was ineffective as noted in the research study listed below. Your child does not have to be vaccinated against your wishes. If a doctor or nurse tries to insist on this-find a new doctor!)
• Those that are healthy and without chronic disease.
• People that are NOT in frequent close contact from the aforementioned people that die from the flu.

Flu Shots are Mandatory For:

• Government Employees
• Employees of certain companies: Thanks to some great marketing tactics by the makers of the flu vaccine, flu shots are now mandatory for employees of many hospitals.

Can Employers Mandate Flu Shots?

• Currently 48 states allow exemptions for those that do not believe in vaccination for religious purposes.
• Otherwise, chances are your options aren’t that great for getting out of an employer mandated flu shot. Some hospital’s go as far as to demand allergy testing if you claim you are allergic to the flu shot. If you are allergic to the shot your employer may request that you go in for testing and if you prove negative to allergy, you may still be vaccinated. If positive allergy for the shot (egg proteins) is determined you then will be told you have to take an anti-viral influenza prophylactic medication for six months that has known severe side effects including depression and suicide per certain NEW hospital protocols.

I understand why a hospital would want to force flu shots on nurses and doctors in close contact with critically ill patients. However, isolated telephone receptionists, IT help desk people, delivery drivers, and other people that don’t even work inside the hospital are also affected by these blanket flu shot policies.

What are Employee’s Rights with Mandatory Flu Shots?

Many employees that have had bad reactions to a flu shot feel that being forced to have a flu shot is against their constitutional rights. Nurses filed a lawsuit against the hospital I previously worked for and WON, flu shots then became optional for nurses, as the hiring contract only mandated a current measles vaccination, and even Hepatitis B was considered optional upon hiring. So you can always sue for your rights.

However, in my experience working for a hospital that made this mandatory-you really don’t have a whole lot of a choice and are just “stuck” with your shot.

Your best option is to just quit. That is exactly what happened at the hospital I worked at for 8 years. People were in such an unbelievable tirade over being forced to have a flu shot that many of them just gave notice after working there for decades. On the final day that employees had to get their flu shot-there was an organized walk out.

What are the Legal Concerns around Employers Mandating Flu Shots?

We don’t know the long term consequences of each new flu vaccine developed and administered each and every year-employers mandating flu shots may be at serious legal risk if ever a bad vaccine batch were to come out, and harm ensued to employees as a result of an employer’s blanket policy. Employers risk class action lawsuits if harm results from flu shots they mandate. Employer’s that want to promote vaccination should do so while making it optional.

Why Do Employers Make Flu Shots Mandatory?

Money of course. Money is what drives most corporate decisions in business, and health care just like everything else is unfortunately a business. Keep in mind that certain employers are only making influenza inoculation mandatory because flu shot manufacturers want to sell more vaccines. Money is almost always the bottom line. The hospitals in return get a break on the cost of vaccines, or “free vaccines for ALL of their employees” by jumping on the “mandatory flu vaccine wagon”. The more hospitals persuaded in to this program for financial reasons, the more inevitable it shall be that other employers will follow suit. The hospital I previously worked for was used as a “role model” in presentations by the flu shot manufacturers that provided our free flu shots.

This is the long term goal of flu vaccine manufacturers-to create a larger distribution of there product. It is not for public health concerns-it is simply for marketing. It is highly unethical for hospital employers to force vaccines on their employees simply because they want to get a break on the price of their flu shots. It is also highly unethical for employers to force flu shots on their employees simply because they want to cut down on the number of sick days used during flu season. A GOOD employer will offer flu shots. A BAD employer will make flu shots mandatory.

Most hospital employees upon hire are only REQUIRED to have their MMR vaccine updated for public health reasons. These new flu vaccine protocols are highly unethical and violate employees rights. Even the Hepatitis B vaccine comes “strongly recommended” and is not mandatory by many hospitals.

The mandatory nature of flu shots is a publicity stunt organized by flu shot manufactures. As more hospitals get on board with this deal then flu shot manufacturers will have that much more leverage to persuade other large corporations to also make flu shots mandatory for employees. This means big bucks for the flu shot manufacturing industry. For Americans it means an unnecessary violation of our constitutional rights. First your employer tells you flu shots, then what’s next for your employer to decide about your health? Forcing flu shots on employees that do not work with critically ill patients is not only unnecessary it is unconstitutional, and sadly unethical.

On the other hand, if you are working closely with critically ill patients such as those with cancer, HIV, severe respiratory problems, and the ICU-it truly is in their best interest that you are vaccinated against the flu, and in my opinion as a health care provider your moral obligation and responsibility. There is no way to know if you are in a prodromal infectious early state of influenza and if you work in the ICU, with HIV or cancer patients you can kill them by exposing them to the flu.

Flu shot manufacturers should be allowed to promote mandatory vaccine programs for only those types of settings. Business owners absolutely have NO right to make decisions about their employee’s health care especially when we move this discussion outside of health care. Most doctors don’t even tell patients what to do when it comes to the difficult decisions that surround vaccinations these days.

What Does an Immunologist Recommend about Vaccine Decision Making?

As taught by Dr. Sheryl Berman, an esteemed immunology professor and researcher, “the best doctors educate patients on the facts about vaccines and let the patient decide.” When Berman was then asked what her personal recommendations are for each vaccine she replied, “As an immunologist I get asked all the time what the right choice is around different vaccines. The answer I give is always the same-the right decision is the decision that is right for you. Only you can make that decision. Educate yourself on all the facts, risks, and benefits before making your decisions about vaccinations.”

CEO’s of businesses should never be allowed to make health care decisions. And they furthermore should not be making health care decisions because they want to save a few bucks.

A flu shot is absolutely ethically warranted for health care employees of in-patient settings. If you don’t want to get a flu shot-then simply find a job somewhere else that does not involve the critically ill. If you REALLY care about your critically ill patients-you will get a flu shot. For everyone else, it should be optional.

What are my Community Responsibilities?

Remember that just because you got vaccinated from the flu does not mean you still can’t get the flu. I believe it is an important MORAL obligation to stay at home if you are sick with the flu. Your doctor will also agree and will be happy to write you or your child a note.

Just because the flu won’t kill you, doesn’t mean that it can’t kill someone else that you are exposing your germs to. Be sure to quarantine yourself or your children until you are no longer symptomatic. If more people would be considerate in this manner we likely would not have as many influenza related deaths. If you are unable to take time off when ill, then you should heavily consider vaccination.

Is it Healthy to get Sick?

Yes, actually being sick according to nature cure philosophy inspires your immune system to do a thorough “clean up”. A good solid sickness where you cough out and blow out and sweat out a bunch of junk is actually quite detoxifying. Suppressing symptoms typically inhibits the natural healing process of our systems and prevents the “Extreme Home Makeovers” that many of us need in order to prevent chronic disease. Chinese Medicine also agrees with this belief in their saying “Many disease long life. One disease short life.” Although acute illness such as the flu may seem like a short term set back, it likely is preventing greater diseases in your system by allowing your immune system to run full force and do a thorough clean up job.

What if There is a Shortage on the Flu Vaccine?

Remember, if there is a flu shot shortage please be considerate to those that truly need the flu shot and skip your vaccination until it is available to the general healthy population. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist to put you on a waiting list and notify you when new shipments come in.

How Else can I Prevent the Flu?

Keep your immune system healthy, don’t smoke, get adequate sleep, cover your face when you cough and sneeze with your ELBOW-not your hands, reduce stress during flu season, take vitamin C 1000mg three times a day, eat immune support breakfast, and immune supporting foods, consume 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, use preventative herbs such as astragalus daily (not echinacea-that is for when you first develop symptoms), increase fish oil and vitamin A (not for pregnant women); decrease alcohol, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and animal fats.

PLEASE wash your hands regularly before and after touching your face, coughing, sneezing, or being in close contact with someone that is ill. For the third and final time I would like to remind everyone that regardless if they get the flu shot or not-if you come down with symptoms that appear to be influenza you need to STAY at home to protect those at risk of influenza related deaths.

Resource: CDC.gov

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations regarding the use of vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative. MMWR 1999;48(43):996-8.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention and control of influenza; recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2002; 51(RR03):1-31.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations regarding the use of vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative. MMWR 1999;48(43):996-8.
4. Szilagi PG “Influenza vaccine effectiveness among children 6 to 59 months of age during 2 influenza seasons: a case-cohort study.” Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Oct;162(10):943-51.
5. Heinonen OP, Shapiro S, Monson RR, Hartz SC, Rosenberg L, Slone D. Immunization during pregnancy against poliomyelitis and influenza in relation to childhood malignancy. Int J Epidemiol 1973;2:229–35.
6. Izurieta HS, Thompson WW, Kramarz P, et al. Influenza and the rates of hospitalization for respiratory disease among infants and young children. New Engl J Med 2000;342:232–9.
7. Neuzil KM, Wright PF, Mitchel EF, Griffin MR. Burden of influenza illness in children with asthma and other chronic medical conditions. J Pediatr 2000;137:856–64.
8. Kirshon B, Faro S, Zurawin RK, Samo TC, Carpenter RJ. Favorable outcome after treatment with amantadine and ribavirin in a pregnancy complicated by influenza pneumonia: a case report. J Reprod Med 1988;33:399–401.
9. Neuzil KM, Reed GW, Mitchel EF, Simonsen L, Griffin MR. Impact of influenza on acute cardiopulmonary hospitalizations in pregnant women. Am J of Epidemiol 1998;148(11):1094-102.
10. Shahab SZ, Glezen WP. Influenza virus. In: Gonik B, ed. Viral diseases in pregnancy. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 1994:215–23.

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician
KitchenTableMedicine.com

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 ™

Kitchen Table Cliffnotes: The Very First Edition!

Welcome to my new weekly feature, “Kitchen Table Cliffnotes” designed to teach you everything you need to know about various topics in health, nutrition, disease prevention, and personal development in just TWO SENTENCES OR LESS!

This idea was born recently upon the request of my brother-in-law as he is busy working all the time and asked if I could give him the “Cliffnotes version” of what I am talking about.

Since I too am constantly seeking efficiency (er…combatting laziness…I mean taking more time for my “self” now), I have conveniently summarized the “take home message” of each recent conversation we have had here at the kitchen table.

Most of my med school friends will love this I’m sure, as I was always in the habit of making cliffnotes for everyone to study off of back in the day.

Since most of you listen to me like I am God …er…am nagging you contantly, I will not be droning on and on today for very long.

My hope is that these cliffnotes serve as a simple and fun way to quickly convey many great health and wellness tips. Then we can all move on with our days and spend less time in front of the computer.

I’m all for that!

Welcome to the First Addition of Kitchen Table Cliffnotes, to read the full article simply click on the title link:

Nutrition: Make it a habit to have one smoothie each day that includes frozen fruit, freshly ground flaxseeds, and yogurt to ensure healthy digestive functioning. A simple trick to keep you energized for your day, focused and fabulous!

Diet Tip: The food you are addicted to is just a bad “ex-lover” and it is time to BREAK UP! It’s time to think about what you are getting out of this unhealthy relationship and put an end to it once and for all.

Recipe Makeover: Coffee was just recently given a makeover so that you can enjoy it without all the guilt! The secret is simply vanilla flavored Almond Breeze and organic espresso-delicious-and better for your body and the environment!!!

Vegetarians: Aside from protein, you need to watch out for B12, iron, omega-3 fats, zinc, and calcium, and even more so if you are vegan.

Weight Loss: Eat more sources of vegetable proteins in your diet to lose weight, balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation and slow the aging process. Beans, legumes, raw nuts and seeds, whole grains, and veggies are your new best friends, so go spend some time with them figuring out how to enjoy them.

The Latest Research: Olive oil was just recently shown to prevent damage to DNA, and researchers believe that can be easily extrapolated to real life “in vivo” cancer fighting and anti-aging potential. Hooray, lets all pour olive oil on everything we eat, in lieu of butter or (heaven forbid) margarine, the evil villain of the kitchen table.

Kitchen Table Foe: Hot dogs are implicated in increasing your child’s risk of leukemia and certain cancers due to the nitrite content. Watch for “sodium nitrite” on labels, buy kosher or organic lunch meats when at all possible.

Sleep: The best bedtime snacks for insomniacs are light proteins paired with a high fiber source. Don’t wake up in the middle of the night because of low blood sugar, instead use the therapeutic properties of various amino acids to lul yourself asleep.

Employee Medicine: Let your work pay you to take your vitamins, floss your teeth, drink water, and exercise. Trust me, you will save them a ton of money in the long run by running up and down the stairs all day.

Environmental Medicine: Watch out for funnel shaped spider webs, as they are likely hobo spiders. Please don’t freak out and go on a spider killing rampage, just clean up messes carefully in your garden and garage to prevent a potentially toxic type of spider bite that should warrant a trip to the doctor.

Exercise: Fitness Trainer, Bonnie Pfiester reveals EXERCISE to be the best cure for cellulite reduction. Exercise burns fat, and increases lean muscle mass which together fight the look of unsightly flab.

Mental Emotional: Stop worrying! Learn to train your mind not to worry, use logic, accept the worry and let it go. Stop playing out scenarios in your head, and certainly stop procrastinating to put an immediate end to the vicious cycle that is worrying, a great article thanks to our friends at “The Daily Mind”.

Stress: Having a hard time? Need someone to talk to confidentially, or teach you better coping strategies? Maybe it is time to think about some counseling, or make an online visit to my friend Dr. KC.

Zen Habits: Put an end to “micro-addictions” those little annoying habits that clog up our days like obsessively checking email, always having the television on, and other silly habits that get in the way of our success and state of zen. Instead, set limits, change your environment, be persistent, and stay consistent to your values to overcome the annoying micro-addiction.

Life Coaching: If you know what you should be doing, but just aren’t doing it for whatever reason, think about hiring a life coach. Actually, just stop reading this right now if you already know everything you need to do to get healthy, and focus your attention on DOING it!

Attitude: Fear of embarrassment and criticism is likely robbing you of your initiative, stick to your core values; those criticizing you needlessly may need to stop by and pick up a new more positive attitude at Ya-ttitude.com! Tell them “Dr. Nicole thinks they need a visit to Camp Ya-ttitude”.

Happiness: Lori, at “Between Us Girls” brilliantly reminds us of the top 12 secrets to happiness: Gratitude, optimism, avoiding rumination and social comparison, building social communities, practicing kindness, improving coping strategies (or developing them), practicing forgiveness, increasing “flow”, savoring joy, setting goals, engaging in spirituality, and developing both body and mind. Wow, I feel happier just reading that!

Soul Food: Shilpan reminds us through the movie “Forest Gump” that when life is like a box of chocolates, and we bite in to that nasty flavored unfavorite thing-that we can still claim confidence, do something for others, always give our best effort, and maintain integrity-amongst other great tips to make the most of it.

Peaceful Living: Jennifer encourages us “to take more time for fun - to play, to laugh and not to take life so seriously.” I think we can all handle that!

Organization: Unclutterer teaches us how to use a vacuum sealer and deep freezer to make the most of your grocery dollars. You can buy and freeze half an organic grass fed cow, or stock up on fish in season to save money (Wild Alaskan Salmon is the best).

Something Fun: The Author of ZenPlease.com thinks you need to go outside and play on your day off. You can easily burn a bunch of calories by walking your dog, playing sports outside, golfing, scuba diving, or just ride some rollercoasters-screaming burns calories too.

If you have a GREAT Kitchen Table Cliffnote to share, please leave a summary of the article in two sentences or less along with a link in the comments section below!

As for my readers, that is PLENTY mind/body/spirit news for now. If you are overwhelmed, then just pick a couple things, or the easiest thing, or the most important thing to focus on. The most beneficial habits develop gradually over time. Be patient while you give yourself the needed time to grow!

Have a great weekend, I hope you all get outside to exercise with your pedometers and heart rate monitors. 10,000 steps a day is all I ask, the average office worker only gets 4000 steps. You can do better than that I’m sure.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

Dr. Nicole Sundene

http://KitchenTableMedicine.com

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 ™

Zen Please? 20 Things to do on Your Day Off

Hope you all have a great weekend!

The author of ZenPlease has offered some fun ideas for what we can all do with our time off…

1. Head to your local video store and get a movie that fits your genre. Comedy is the remedy; no matter who you are, you’ll enjoy a good laugh!

2. Play some sports! Go swimming or go for a jog. This is the time to work out and sweat it all out.

3. Take a stroll in the park and walk your dog (or your neighbor’s).

4. Read a book, something that will keep you engrossed and guessing – suspenseful plots!

5. Curl up in bed and sleep in, the world does not need you today.

6. Learn how to cook a new dish. It’s going to be fun!

7. Practice Yoga. It relaxes your body, mind and soul.

8. Go window shopping. Take slow strides and just watch everything and anything.

9. Visit a zoo, an art gallery or a museum, these places are really eye opening! Even if you’ve visited before!

10. Call up your long lost friends and ask them out for lunch or dinner, catch up with them since you have the time!

11. Go ice-skating! If you’re a beginner, you’re bound to fall. But who cares?

12. For non-golfers, head towards the nearest driving range and swing at them golf balls.

13. Play some Sudoku or Crosswords, challenge yourself and see how hard it is for you.

14. Go bowling and just smack it! It doesn’t matter if the bowling ball goes down the drain!

15. Find some place peaceful and secluded and watch both the sunrise and sunset of that day! If you can’t find a nice spot, the roof is always a good option.

16. Go scuba diving, the experience of swimming with fishes is really nice. Carefree.

17. Ride a rollercoaster and scream your lungs out! The first ride is something you’ll remember for life!

18. Take random photos. Just pick up your camera and start clicking but make sure you take pictures of the outdoor!

19. Treat yourself to a health spa. Extremely stress relieving…

20. Look around you and see what’s happening in your community. Join a club or an event and try new things!

For the enthusiastic but constantly held down individuals, this is the time for you step up and try new things! Take a walk on the wild side! And as for those who would rather play it safe and take each day as it comes, today is the day you give yourself a chance to let go!

No matter what you do, as long it is comfortable for you, it will be enjoyable. Do it with the ones you love and it’ll be even more exciting! Have fun!

For more great tips on reducing stress and enjoying life, stop by Zenplease.com.

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 ™

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