How’s Your Digestion?

By Dr. Jody Stanislaw Food is one of the greatest pleasures in life. But how often do you actually think about the fact that the nutrients contained in the food you eat are what become your skin, your lungs, even your heart, and every other part of your body?! (You’ll think again the next time you reach for some chemical ridden processed food, won’t you?) And how can you make sure you’re absorbing the valuable nutrients contained in your food? By having great digestion! This means you have an easy and complete bowel movement first thing in the morning (and ideally after lunch and dinner as well…but if you at least have one every morning, you’re doing well), your belly feels comfortable after you eat without any bloating or pressure, and gas is a rare occurrence. So how do you rate? Digestive complaints (also referred to as GI complaints, which stands for gastrointestinal) are among the most common reasons Americans go to the doctor. Read more

Superfoods! Superfoods? And Superfood Supplements?

By Dr. Jody Stanislaw, Naturopathic Physician

Superfoods! I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz. But what exactly is the buzz all about anyway? What are superfoods? Do you really need to eat superfoods? What are the benefits? How do you choose which superfoods are best for you? Well, wonder no longer. Lets get right to the answers…

No surprise to anyone is the fact that humans today are busier and have more on their plate, so to speak, than ever before. We eat on the run, often literally standing up. We grab ready made meals as we rush to our next appointment. We finish meals in minutes, gulping down food that not only have we not been fully present for as we chew but have barely even chewed fully before swallowing. Read more

We would Love your Feedback! Thank You!

Hello! KitchenTableMedicine.com is expanding and we would love your input!

I am Dr. Jody, the new Director of Advertising for Kitchen Table.

In order for Dr. Nicole and other exciting new, contributing authors like myself to continue to provide you with all of the latest and greatest in natural health news and lifestyle tips, we need to expand our list of sponsors.

But before doing so, we would love your input about what type of products you would like for us to review and who your favorite companies are!

Thus, we would be full of gratitude for you to take just a minute to answer our quick and easy, 10 question reader feedback survey.

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Best Blood Glucose Meter!

By Dr. Jody Stanislaw, Naturopathic Physician and Diabetes Expert

What is the best blood glucose monitor?

The Flash Freestyle Meter is my favorite, and what I personally use.

Having had diabetes since 1980, I can vividly remember the time in which blood testing didn’t even exist. The only way I could monitor how much glucose was in my blood was by examining how much had spilled over into my urine over the past several hours.

At just seven years old, I peed into a cup 2-4 times per day, put a dropper full of it into a test tube along with this little chemical tablet, and then watched it fizz into a joyful, deep blue color when my sugar level was normal, or into a depressing orange color if is was too high.

So think about that…there was no way to ever really know what the blood glucose level was at any particular moment. Thus every test was only an average of what the blood glucose had been over the past several hours. Challenging for ideal control, to say the least!

Thank goodness for the invention of home glucose monitoring! Even though the first blood test strips took two minutes to present the result (which was manually read comparing the colored strip to a color chart), I was thrilled to no longer have to deal with peeing in a cup (especially when spending the night at friends’ houses!).

Eventually, meters were introduced and my first one was about the size of a VHS tape. Of course, over the years they have become smaller and faster. And now, finally, I think I’ve discovered my favorite meter of them all: the Freestyle Flash.

There is a dizzying array of meter choices out there, so I certainly have not tried them all; but let me tell you why I like this one so much. It’s small so it easily fits into my tiny diabetes supply bag that I carry with me wherever I go, or even in the tiny pocket of my running pants when I go for a jog.

The result appears in 2-3 seconds. It uses the tiniest amount of blood of any meter I have ever tried. But the thing that makes it stand out to me as my favorite of all is something so simple but sooooo convenient: it has a light!

After years of struggling to test my blood sugar in the dark at a movie theater, driving in a car at night, or in bed in the middle of the night (or countless other places when the light is dim), I am overjoyed that a meter company finally has taken the time to think about how they could take that extra step in helping make our lives easier.

I cannot tell you how wonderful this simple extra feature is! As soon as the strip is inserted, a little light illuminates the strip (so wonderful…thus even in poor light, I know exactly where to add my drop of blood), and then as soon as the adequate amount of blood has been taken into the strip, the light on the strip turns out (thus clearly telling me that I can confidently take my finger away), and then the screen lights up, thus easily allowing me to see my results!!

I LOVE this meter! Thank you, Abbott, for going the extra mile in realizing how valuable this ‘little’ extra feature is!

All the best to you,

Dr. Stanislaw

After being diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of seven, Dr. Jody Stanislaw has grown a special interest in diabetes and helping others live a healthy and vibrant life.

If you have any further questions about diabetes you are welcome to leave them in the comments section.

When is the Best Time for Diabetics to Check their Blood Sugar?

By Dr. Jody Stanislaw, Naturopathic Physician and Diabetes Expert

As a diabetic when is the best time for me to check my blood sugar?

Anytime is a good time to check your levels. The more you know about what your numbers are, the better in touch you are with your body. Learning how meals affect your blood sugar is important, regardless of whether it’s been 30 min or 120 min since you’ve eaten.

What you must understand is that things are always changing inside your body….food takes a long time to digest, and insulin takes time to work. So just because you are 100 two hours after dinner does not mean it will stay that way until you eat again. You are likely having an increase in your blood sugar levels at night because of one or both reasons:

#1) Your food hasn’t fully digested so some sugar from your meal has not yet entered your blood stream even 2 hours after the meal.

#2) Your medicine dose is too low to cover your needs while you are sleeping.

Personally, I do not like the unknown of what my dinner will do to my blood sugar levels while I sleep so I just avoid the problem by generally avoiding carbohydrates at dinner. Also, I prefer to eat at 5 or 6 pm as well and/or choose to eat only small amounts at dinner.

The best way to really know what your body needs is to test your blood sugar often. Learn what makes your numbers go up and what makes it go down….then you will be able to make informed decisions about what is good for your body and what is not. The challenging thing about diabetes is that there is no set answer that works everyday.

Everyday our activity levels are different. Everyday what we eat is different. So you just be informed as much as you can be with what makes your numbers go up and what makes them go down. And then you just do the best you can to make healthy decisions each day. Some days, your numbers will be better than others…that’s just the life of a diabetic. So being informed about how your blood sugars react based on the different choices you make each day is a very wise thing to do.

All the best to you,

Dr. Stanislaw

After being diagnosed with Type I diabetes at the age of seven, Dr. Jody Stanislaw has grown a special interest in diabetes and helping others live a healthy and vibrant life.

If you have any further questions about diabetes you are welcome to leave them in the comments section.

Dr. Jody Stanislaw, Naturopathic Physician

Meet Dr. Jody Stanislaw a new author at the Kitchen Table! You may follow her column by clicking here.

Dr. Jody Stanislaw is a Naturopathic Physician, receiving her doctorate degree from Bastyr University. Located in Seattle, Bastyr is the most acclaimed of the four accredited natural health medical schools in America, where physicians are trained to heal disease via natural and complementary treatments.

As the diabetes columnist for KitchenTableMedicine.com, her expertise in diabetes not only comes from her professional training but from her own personal experience as well. Having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of seven, her passion towards improving the health and well-being of others stems from successfully overcoming her own challenges of living with this chronic disease.

Focusing on the best food choices for optimal health throughout her lifetime has given her expertise in good nutrition and in knowing the ideal foods for achieving balanced blood sugar levels. Yet spending so much time thinking about food led her to have unhealthy eating patterns during her childhood. As a result, she also has a passion for helping others heal from disordered eating patterns, which is common amongst both type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

One of her core beliefs in life is everything that happens in life is a teacher, always full of rich opportunities for personal growth. This empowering perspective is a key element present in all of her work and teachings.

She also enjoys helping others strengthen what she calls the Four Pillars of Health: nutritious food, adequate rest, regular movement, and a healthy spiritual and emotional life. Just as important as the sturdiness of each leg of a four legged table is for creating balance, if even one of these areas of life is weak or lacking, optimal health cannot exist. Each of these key areas is equally important for allowing a strong foundation for good health in one’s life.

And lastly, a bit about her background…Having grown up in the Northwest, she is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Hiking in the Cascades, snow skiing in the Rockies, water skiing, biking, and practicing yoga are the activities she enjoys the most for keeping her body fit. She also delights in continually expanding her mind regarding the myriad of ways humans can and do chose to live their lives, via visiting foreign cultures. She traveled throughout Europe while living in Italy in 1993, backpacked through Australia in 1997, and left her hometown of Seattle to work with patients from all over the world at a health resort in Thailand during 2008.

This latter experience led her to realize that when people are out of touch with what they love about life and are lacking experiencing joy on a regular basis, no herbs or supplements or food plan will succeed in achieving the optimal health they are truly looking for. This revelation inspired her to write a book to address this issue. It is a story that will act as a catalyst for helping readers become clear on what is holding them back from truly loving their life.

After writing for six months in Bali, Indonesia in 2009, she is now back in Seattle, finishing her book. Stay tuned to KitchenTableMedicine.com for the announcement of the publication of this wonderfully adventurous and inspiring story!

Authors

Dr. Nicole Sundene is a Naturopathic Physician at Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine 16719 e Palisades Blvd Ste 205, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 (480) 837-0900. For more information about her services visit: Fountain Hills Naturopathic Medicine

A graduate of Western Washington University for her undergraduate degree, and Bastyr University for her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, she also spent eight years working as a Medical Assistant for the world renowned institute Virginia Mason Medical Center.

Throughout her four year naturopathic physician training she had the invaluable opportunity to work side by side with many talented physicians specializing in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Urology, and Urgent Care.

Her alternative medicine education along with training at Virginia Mason combined with the many years spent talking to patients as a telephone triage “nurse” have given her a diverse perspective on health care in America.

Dr. Sundene’s goal with Kitchen Table Medicine is to provide readers with the missing link in their health care experience and to ease the educational burden off busy doctors while providing the information and coaching that is typically not allotted in an individual appointment.

You may further connect through Facebook and Twitter!

Dr. Jody Stanislaw is a Naturopathic Physician, receiving her doctorate degree from Bastyr University. Located in Seattle, Bastyr is the most acclaimed of the four accredited natural health medical schools in America, where physicians receive training to heal disease via natural and complementary treatments.

As the diabetes specialist for KitchenTableMedicine.com, her expertise not only comes from professional training but also from her own experience. Having been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of seven, her passion towards improving the health and well-being of others stems from successfully overcoming her own challenges of living with this chronic disease.

Focusing so much on food while growing up in order to manage her diabetes led her to have unhealthy eating patterns during childhood. As a result, she also has a passion for helping others heal from disordered eating patterns, common amongst both type 1 and type 2 diabetics, in addition to the general population.

One of her core beliefs in life is everything that happens in life is a teacher, always full of rich opportunities for personal growth. This empowering perspective is a key element present in all of her work and teachings.

Having grown up in the Northwest, she is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Hiking, snow and water skiing, biking, and practicing yoga are the activities she enjoys the most for keeping her body fit. She also loves to travel. She traveled throughout Europe while living in Italy in 1993, backpacked through Australia in 1997, and left her hometown of Seattle to work with patients from all over the world at a health resort in Thailand during 2008.

Her work in Thailand led her to realize that when people are out of touch with what they love about life and are lacking experiencing joy on a regular basis, no herbs, supplements or food plan will succeed in allowing them to achieve the optimal health they are truly looking for.

This revelation inspired her to write a book to address this issue. It is a story that will act as a catalyst for helping readers become clear on what is holding them back from truly loving their life. After writing for five months in Bali, Indonesia in 2009, she is now back in Seattle, finishing her book. Stay tuned to KitchenTableMedicine.com for the announcement of the publication of this wonderfully adventurous and inspiring book!

Dr. Selena Eon was raised in the woods of western Washington, a lifelong lover of the cycles inherent in nature. Her upbringing as a second-generation Naturopathic Physician gifted her with a strong understanding of the connection between the health of our planet and the well-being of the people who live on it.

Dr. Eon holds a bachelor’s degree in Whole Foods Nutrition and a graduate degree in Naturopathic Medicine- both from Bastyr University in Seattle, one of the four federally accredited medical universities specializing in the natural healing arts.

Dr. Eon’s naturopathic education taught her the same basic sciences studied by medical doctors, but also provided her with the knowledge of holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy, with a strong emphasis on preventing disease and optimizing wellness. She practices in Bellevue, WA with her father, Dr. Dean Howell, ND, the developer of NCR.

Her patient-centered practice provides patients with a close connection and collaborative environment with which to regain health. She is a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physician and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Her interests include fashion design, sewing, basket-weaving, fiber arts, the outdoors, fitness, gluten-free whole foods cooking, reading, music and spending time with her husband and two children. You can find her handmade clothing design work at Etsy. To schedule an appointment for naturopathic care simply visit www.DrSelenaEon.com or call (206) 228-9537.

Dr. KC Kelly holds a Doctorate of Philosophy and is a Licensed Psychotherapist with over 14 years of experience in the field.

She has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults, geriatrics, and families with a vast number of diagnoses and in a vast number of settings including psychiatric hospitals, drug/alcohol programs, group homes, community mental health clinics, and the school system.

She has worked with those dealing with low self esteem, relationship issues, depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, and suicidal ideation.

Dr. KC always strives to use the positive solution-focused model believing that with the correct guidance from the psychotherapist, all people have within them the power, strength, and resources to come up with their own solutions to their issues. She also finds it immensely gratifying to work as a life coach helping clients find happiness and fulfilled dreams! Dr. KC’s search for new cognizance of the etiology and treatment of mental/emotional health disorders remains ongoing with continuous education and research.

Holding mutual passion for both acting (since the age of 15) and psychotherapy, Dr. KC has merged her two loves into one by creating a website dedicated to helping those involved in the Entertainment Industry with both mental health concerns including, depression, anxiety, bipolar, relationship issues (just to name a few) and questions concerning the Industry itself. Of course, she helps all, but holding a niche in the entertainment industry has been a challenging and rewarding endeavor. Dr. KC wants to make it clear that although her website www.DOCintheBiz.com was intended to reach the Entertainment Industry population, it in no way excludes those who are not artists. We are here and available to help anyone experiencing difficulties or challenging times in their lives. For a great list of health care blogs visit Dr. KC’s premiernetwork at GLCzone.com!

Dr. Benjamin Lynch graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor of science in Cell and Molecular Biology. While at the UW, Ben rowed three years for the Huskies on the varsity crew team.

At the end of his Junior year, Ben took a year off to travel throughout the South Pacific and SE Asia.

Ben volunteered with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, worked as one of seven cowboys on a seven million acre cattle station in Outback Australia, lived with a Fijian family on a remote island and was a crew member on a 70′ schooner from Australia to Indonesia. These world experiences taught Ben how to effectively listen, honor, and understand people of all types.

The year long backpacking trip also planted the seed of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. While in India, Ben became severely ill. Having thought he had malaria, his East Indian friend took him to a local Ayurvedic physician. After taking prescribed herbal medicines, Ben felt better within the hour. From then on, Ben decided to learn more about this effective form of medicine.

Ben graduated from Bastyr University in June 2007 with a doctorate in naturopathic medicine.

During clinical training, Ben became aware of Environmental Medicine. He sought out the best physicians and trained with them. Ben had the opportunity to work side-by-side with William Rea, MD, the world’s leading Clinical Ecologist.

Having seen patients suffering from chronic diseases caused by environmental exposures, Ben has carefully sought out effective health products and lifestyle techniques. Ben intends to specialize in Environmental Medicine and ‘medical conundrums.’ His goal is to eventually open a large facility where hundreds of people can be treated inexpensively using the ancient methods of hydrotherapy.

Ben currently lives in the Seattle area with his wife, Nadja, and their three boys: Tasman, Matvei and Theodore.

Tim Brownson is a UK qualified Life Coach, NLP Master Practitioner and certified Hypnotherapist.

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.

His first book ‘Don’t Ask Stupid Questions - There Are No Stupid Questions’ was published through Aspen Light in November of 2007 to fantastic reviews and he has since published 2 e-books, one on stress management and the other on beliefs and values.

He writes a self development blog called ‘The Discomfort Zone that takes a more off the wall look at coaching. Tim’s book was voted “Best Purse Book of 2008″ and is a handy little personal development guide to read on a daily basis. Reader’s love that you can just open the book to any page and ask yourself an empowering question each day. From answering questions about life coaching, to quitting smoking-Tim offers a unique, realistic, and highly hilarious perspective on accomplishing goals while maintaining values. Stop by and read all of Tim’s advice at the kitchen table, and subscribe to his free life coaching blog.

Bonnie Pfeister is a personal trainer and owner of Longevity Fitness Club and Spa in Florida.

Whether you read Bonnie’s articles in the Press Journal or listen to her health tips on the radio, it won’t take long to see Bonnie’s passion is to help encourage and educate the community.

With over fifteen years of experience in the health & beauty industry, Bonnie has a lot to share. In addition, although she has never been obese, she has experienced weight fluctuations from size 2 to size 12. Bonnie realized consistency is key in being healthy and said “no more” to yo-yo diets and sporadic exercise routines.

Feel free to post your personal training and fitness questions as comments to Bonnie’s articles so that she may answer them in future blogs! You can visit Bonnie at: Longevity Fitness.com and BonniePfiester.com.

Stephen Cox is the author of the immensely insightful self help website BalancedExistence.com. As the result of a long history of health issues, including open heart surgery at age 7 and chronic fatigue at age 20, Stephen learned the vital importance of good health the hard way.

Having overcome his own health problems Stephen founded Balanced Existence as the medium by which he can positively impact the largest number of people possible.

By documenting knowledge and insights gained from his own journey of health and wellbeing it is Stephen’s humble wish to aid others, when needed, in their own journey.

You are invited to read more articles at BalancedExistence.com

Mary O’malley is a teacher and specialist in compulsive behaviors and addictions.

Mary teaches us to turn towards our compulsive tendencies and not away from them. When we move to a place of observation and curiosity about life we remove the cloud of shame and blame that tend to obscure the learning process.

To learn more about Mary’s unique philosophy that resonates with so many people challenged by over-eating, disordered eating, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors you may visit her website at www.MaryOmalley.com. Mary offers individual counseling, group meetings, and educational retreats in Hawaii. Mary is an amazing teacher of life. You can subscribe to her once monthly newsletter for a free taste of her wisdom and philosophy.

Joene LaBou is a licensed esthetician and skincare specialist.

Joene specializes in anti-aging skin therapies that emphasize the use of vegan and organic products. When asked what the secret to her unbelievably youthful appearance is, she always simply replies “Drink plenty of water, anti-oxidants, and peptides”.

For assistance with your skin care needs you may book an appointment in Seattle by calling (206) 264-7901.The salon is located at 410 spring, Seattle 98104. Joene also has skincare appointments available in New Castle, WA as well for your convenience, simply visit www.LabouSkincare.com to book an appointment at either site for her wonderful services!

Tara McClintick is an Early Childhood/Special Education teacher as well as a Son-Rise mom. She is passionate about children and supporting the miraculous development process using gentle, creative and encouraging methods. She has 20+ years experience working with children, both in typical and special needs settings.

A great deal of Tara’s experience has been working one on one with her youngest son, Jake, who was diagnosed with severe autism shortly after his first birthday.

Once thought to be deaf, Jake can now communicate using simple sentences. He is extremely intelligent however learning continues to be challenging for Jake due to his extreme sensory and physical symptoms and difficulty in attending to another person.

Jake is now 13 and together they continue the journey towards learning and recovery through nutritional and natural methods. Tara enthusiastically reads and learns everything she can about specialized diets, healing, and bio-medical treatments and how these relate to the complex issues involved in autism and other conditions.

Her family continues to make lifestyle changes to support both her family’s health and the planet’s. She eagerly wants to share this information with others in hopes that we can all receive the gifts these amazing individuals’ lives bring to everyone.

Tara also creates fun, unique picture books for kids using real-life scenes and images www.BooksByTara.com. These books are specially designed to promote attention, interaction, thinking, and language development for kids of any age. Their simple format allows the books to be adapted for a variety of skill levels. They reveal the wonder and beauty of everyday in appreciation of this glorious life.