Wait until the disease has fully developed before treating? Or treat when the warning signs start to show up?
I get really excited about catching signs and symptoms in an early state and being able to bring the body back to health. We don't just wake up one day with a disease. There are triggers and changes in the body that happen long before a diagnosis is established. And that's where naturopathic medicine thrives. We like to see the body functioning to its optimal capacity because we know that there is a lot out there that is hard on the body: the stresses of life, infections, insults to our microbiome, genetic predispositions, toxins and chemicals, the pull towards poor diet and lifestyle choices, etc etc. And when those begin to accumulate and the body starts to show signs of being overburdened in its various systems, that is something that needs needs needs to be addressed! Our bodies are amazing and inherently do everything they can to keep us thriving our whole lives! But sometimes they get tired or overworked and need a little help recuperating to be able to meet all our needs. Take good care of your body, and don't ignore even the seemingly most minor sign that something is off. K? When was the last time you had a thorough health (not disease) check up? You can schedule yours today by clicking on the "book now" button below!
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It's that time of year!
I love seeing my boys excitement of nature during the spring. They get excited about new birds, new bugs, frogs, little sprouts, baby chicks, and warmer weather! This world is a beautiful place! Happy Easter
I hope this weekend is full of rest and peace and nature and chocolate for you. Recipe for these yummy treats is: 1/2 c pumpkin seed butter 1/4c butter 1/4 c coconut oil 1/4c cocoa powder 1/4c coconut flour 2Tbsp coconut sugar 1Tbsp maple syrup Punch of salt Gently melt seed butter, butter & oil in saucepan, then add other ingredients. Pour carefully into silicone mold. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Ever wonder how Naturopathic Medicine can help your ASD or other complex pediatric diagnosis? Ever wonder if there is more that can be done? Check out this very informative video to answer all your questions about these difficult diagnoses and options for next steps and ideas for how to optimize the health of the whole family. I hope you find this information both positive and encouraging! Thank you @drtaylorbean and Dr. Rahr for putting together this video!
Find it here: https://www.drnatalierahr.com/autism-complex-pediatric... Eczema. The rash that is not usually treated at the root in the medical setting.
I was excited to see this new study published on March 22nd in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. It looked at the use of a traditional botanical medicine product called Soshihotang or Xiao Chai Hu Tang, which has been used for various ailments for centuries. It contains the herbs bupleurum, pinellia, scutellaria, codonopsis, ziziphus, licorice, and ginger. The study looked at 60 individuals aged 3-18yo with both GI concerns and atopic dermatitis. They found that after 8 weeks, the group using this product was less dependant on ointment applications, had improved quality of life, and showed improved immune function on blood sample testing. The conclusion was that this may be a viable alternative treatment option for atopic dermatitis cases. Disclaimer: this is not medical advice and I am not recommending this product for anyone in this post. Please consult your Naturopathic Physician for holisitc professional treatment advice and care. Lee JH, et al. Efficacy and safety of Soshiho-tang in atopic dermatitis patients with gastrointestinal disorders: A double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Mar 22:114006. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33766759. Lunch box ideas! Mini Zesty Lime Salmon Burgers and Seed Butter Fudge from "12 Ingredients or Less; A Recipe a Day" cookbook. Very simple and quick recipes to make with nutritious ingredients and none of the additives! I have to say that it is so nice to have a cookbook that stands up this way when you are reading the recipe. And I have my eye on so many unique recipe ideas from this book that I'm excited to try! There are still a few copies left and they are now only $20! You can email me to put yours on hold at [email protected].
I have a confession to make. While a big part of who I am includes learning, and studying, and health, I am also a big fan of having a little fun! So I want to take a moment to stir your imagination about things that may not only be fun for you but also have healthy benefits. Things like jumping into cold water, or trying a crazy sounding new food. Or running barefoot as fast as you can down a beach, or sitting outside to do nothing else except to watch the sun set and the stars come out. Or singing or smelling nature. Or even taking a risk on a relationship, or being the one to reach out. These are the things that help us to savour each breath. Let's not get so caught up or bogged down by the daily stuff that we forget to feed our heart. Deal?
What are some things that feed your heart? How white or brown are the meals and snacks you are eating on a consistent basis? Here is an easy rule of thumb to live by when it comes to good nutrition. Choose colour. Switch out the simple carbohydrate in the meal with a veggie that has complex carbs and colour instead. Add colorful veggies to every meal. Fruits can be a colorful snack. And don't bring the white and brown food home from the grocery store or you WILL eat it. Of course there are some white and brown foods that are healthy as well, such as white fish, but I'm mostly taking about the processed foods.
Hydrotherapy: an underappreciated, underused, yet powerful modality.
“The cure for anything is salt water, sweat, tears, or the sea” - the words of an author from the 1800s. Water used in the right way at the right time can have profound benefits. Water therapy is one of the foundational cornerstones that Naturopathic Medicine was built on. It is an ancient method of treatment that has been used around the globe for as far back as history books can illuminate. But how did it come into use in modern medicine? In the 1800s a farmer named Vincent Priessnitz from Austria observed how wounded animals bathed in cold water to heal themselves. One day he applied this observation to his own broken ribs (he was run over by a carriage) using a cold water bandage. His success prompted him to help others around him and he eventually opened a hydrotherapy institution where he successfully treated thousands of people who the medical doctors of that time were unable to help. Around the same time, a priest named Father Kneipp from Bavaria was having similar success after healing his own tuberculosis with hydrotherapy. He went on to help many people using this therapy, one of them being a man named Benedict Lust. Benedict would become one of the “fathers of naturopathy”, combining water cure with nature cure modalities. One of his patient’s, named Henry Lindlahr, who came to him after being told by his physicians that they couldn’t do anything more for him, was cured by Lust’s therapies. Lindlahr then went on to finish his medical training and to write “Nature Cure”, which became the guide to the practice of nature cure medicine. There is so much more in the fascinating history of hydrotherapy and the development of Naturopathic Medicine, but for now, let’s get into some of the nitty-gritty of what water therapy does and how it actually works. [First, the caveats: hydrotherapy should be used in conjunction with proper nutrition, activity, and detoxification. The first rule in hydrotherapy is to treat the whole person and the treatments must be individualized. It may not be for everyone and should be utilized under the supervision and guidance of a Naturopathic Physician.] So how does hydrotherapy work? Besides increasing vitality and waking up the senses, in a nutshell, it brings well-oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to an area while carrying away metabolic and waste products. In addition, if an organ or area of the body is anemic or congested, it can help to either increase or decrease the total volume of blood to that area. Here are five mechanisms of action that it has on the body.
There are many different applications of hydrotherapy and they should all individualized to the patient. I sincerely hope that you get the opportunity to experience the power of this simple therapy first hand in your life under the care and guidance of your Naturopathic Physician. Let's not underestimate it! Our second genome?! Wow. Have you thought about it that way before?
The human microbiome is a fascinating area of research. The human body is colonized by a vast array of microbes not just in the gastrointestinal tract, but on the skin, in the mouth, the vagina, and airway. The largest population is found in the colon, and the second largest on the skin. And these invisible armies can either be extremely helpful to our health or extremely harmful. Let's take a peek at this study published in December 2020 called "Skin and the Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis: Gaining Insight into the Pathophysiology of it and finding novel therapeutic strategies". There has been a lot of evidence found to show that both the skin and the gut microbiota play a role in the immune response. In addition, an association can be seen between psoriatic attacks and microbiome alterations (particularly growth of opportunistic pathogens). In fact, psoriasis can be provoked by known certain bacteria, viruses, or fungi. What has been observed in cases of psoriasis is that common skin species are low, and opportunistic skin species are high, and and altered immune response is present. As we say in naturopathic medicine, "the germ is nothing, the terrain is everything." Our microbiome is so significant!! If there's a chance yours is out of balance, let your ND help you out with this - this is our jam! Chen, L., Li, J., Zhu, W., Kuang, Y., Liu, T., Zhang, W., Chen, X., & Peng, C. (2020). Skin and Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis: Gaining Insight Into the Pathophysiology of It and Finding Novel Therapeutic Strategies. Frontiers in microbiology, 11, 589726. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.589726 |