
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Did you have turkey or some other main course involving meat for Thanksgiving dinner? Don't just throw out the bones or carcass. Use it to boost your immunity, heal your gut, and support other tissues to stay healthy over the winter season. In Chinese Medicine, the winter is the time for nourishing and storing the Qi, to build health and vitality to avoid illness and injury, and build a reserve for times of stress. Bone broth has recently created a buzz as a healthful food for everything from the common cold to joint and bone health, and even for nutritional support in cancer.
Despite it's recent flash in the media, bone broth isn't anything too mysterious, but rather a traditional food that's been around for thousands of years. It's an economical way to stretch your budget and get great nutrition in the process, and is likely full of more minerals and healthful components than store bought, pre-processed broths. It's easy to make, but it does take a little bit of time to cook. You can add other great winter ingredients to aid in immune and digestive support, such as garlic, ginger, and other root vegetables.
BASIC BONE BROTH:
3 or more pounds of turkey, beef, or other bones with marrow, including marrow
(Optional chicken feet or pig's foot)
2-4 pounds of meaty bones, like drumsticks or short ribs
1/4-1/2 cup of raw apple cider vinegar (to help pull nutrients out of the bones)
Purified water, just enough to cover the bones and meat in the pot
2-4 Carrots, including the greens, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, including the greens, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2-1 bunch parsley, chopped
Ginger and/or Garlic peeled and chopped
Place the bones into crock pot or stock pot with enough water to just cover the bones, and add the apple cider vinegar on low heat to simmer for an hour to pull the minerals from the bones.(2 hours in crock pot)
Add vegetables, except parsley, and bring to a boil. Skim any film off the top, and continue to cook on simmer for anywhere from 8-72 hours. (The longer the better). In the last 10-20 minutes or so of cooking, add the parsley. Strain the broth from the solid items.
Use the broth alone or as a base for soups. Add Himalayan or sea salt and other spices as desired. Refrigerate for 5-7 days, or partition and freeze for up to 6 months.
Help feed the hungry this holiday season and feel great doing it!
Bring in 5 non-perishable items, canned or boxed foods (no glass) and/or hygiene items such as toothpaste, shampoo and soap and get half off any massage or other service. We've partnered up with the Oregon Food Bank, good through December 22nd.
Elderberry/Sambucus nigra
It's the start of flu season again. Technically flu season starts in October and goes through May, but peaks between December and March. It's always a time of a lot of hype, with signs at every pharmacy urging you to get your flu shot. But does it work? Is it safe? There's a lot of conflicting information out there, it's hard to know for sure what the best choice is for you. Let's try to sum it up to help you decide.
First, the flu shot is really a combination of three strains of influenza. Influenza A, B and since 2010 it now includes the H1N1, or ‘swine flu’ strain. Canadian data from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic indicates that if you had the regular flu shot that year, you were more likely to contract the H1N1, which was really problematic that year. So, there’s some evidence that getting vaccinated with some strains of the flu vaccine may create greater susceptibility to other strains.
Every year, the WHO (World Health Organization) does its best to predict which strains of the flu will be circulated. Unfortunately, the flu mutates or changes slightly every year. Water fowl like ducks, geese, etc. that are the natural host for the virus, though it can live in mammals, too. Approximately every decade or more, a larger change in the virus occurs, which sometimes creates a more serious strain of influenza. Sometimes the WHO chooses the right strains of flu, and other times it misses and the vaccine offers little protection. Earlier this year, the CDC estimates that there has only been about an 18% effective against Influenza A, the more common and more severe strain of the flu, and 45% effective against Influenza B, which is generally very mild for most people. The FluMist vaccine had an even more dismal record for children, and may not have been effective at all.
According to the CDC, when the flu strains are correctly matched, the vaccine is up to 90% effective for preventing the flu in those under 65 years of age. However, for those 65 and older, the vaccine is only 30-40% effective even when the strains are well matched. Also, most flu vaccines are only approved for older children. That leaves those most vulnerable ages susceptible, the very young and the very old, while those who are young and healthy are the most protected from the vaccine.
In an effort to protect the seniors, there has been a high dose flu vaccine in the works for those over 65, but so far it has not been successful. There is little evidence that the flu vaccine reduces mortality for those above the age of 70. As for children, there is evidence that yearly vaccination reduces their immunity to other viruses according to a November 2011 Virology journal article. However, exposure to the virus seems to grant greater immunity for longer periods of time that may actually be effective even if there is a mutational shift in the virus.
The Flu Vaccine
First, you should know that there are many different flu vaccines available, and they are not all created equally. If you are a candidate or are considering getting the vaccine, it's worth a discussion with your provider to find the best fit for you. Some use a live attenuated (weakened) strain of the virus, and it’s possible to shed the virus and even get sick from the virus, although this virus has been weakened to limit that risk. Because this vaccine has a live virus, it may be most effective at activating your immune system thereby giving you the best immunity to the flu.
All the viruses for the flu vaccine are grown in an egg-based medium, so those who are allergic to egg should not get the vaccine. Though you can get the flu vaccine without mercury, most forms of the vaccine readily available contain high levels of thimerosal, a mercury containing compound. Because mercury is so toxic to the nervous system, this is a concern for a lot of people considering whether or not to get a particular vaccine. Many also contain formaldehyde, antibiotics, polysorbate 80, nonylphenol ethoxylate, and detergents with unknown ingredients because they are proprietary.
Because the flu virus strains change from year to year, and it requires quick manufacturing between the time that the most likely strains have been identified and the time that it needs to be made available to prevent flu, none of the flu vaccines are put through the scrutiny that we put most pharmaceuticals through. We only know well into the flu season if the vaccine is effective, and not all the components are as rigorously studied as most people would like.
The Risk of Getting Sick with the Flu
For most people, getting sick with the flu is largely an inconvenience. You may have fever, chills, cough, fatigue, and muscle aches. This usually lasts roughly a week, sometimes up to two weeks. Other viruses cause similar symptoms, such as coronavirus, and there is no vaccine for these. For those people who do not have a serious risk, are not immune compromised or don’t have serious illnesses, getting the flu has very little risk and may create the best immunity for varying strains of the flu into old age.
The most common complications are an ear infection in children. For adults, common complications include sinusitis. Very rarely, bacterial pneumonia can occur, usually in the elderly or those with pre-existing cardiac or respiratory disease. Often this is seen late in the course of the illness, and comes on after the person seemed to be recovering. Even more rarely, a viral pneumonia from the flu can occur, and this can be severe and life threatening. However, in the US in 2010 it’s estimated that only 494 people died as a direct result of the flu. These were largely people over the age of 65, who otherwise had compromised health due to heart disease, COPD, et. al. (The numbers of deaths from flu and pneumonia are lumped together statistically, and 494 is the number of deaths directly related to flu. The total number of deaths due to respiratory compromise combined as flu and pneumonia in 2010 was 50,003, so less than 1% of those deaths were directly from the flu).
The Risk of the Vaccine
The most common side effects of the vaccine are soreness and redness at the injection site, low grade fever, joint and muscle aches. Sometimes there can be a reaction to egg or other ingredients, which can include hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath, hives, dizziness, and palpitations. In severe cases, anaphylaxis may occur. Guillian Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune attack of the nervous system, may rarely occur. It may cause permanent nerve damage, and 5-6% of those who get Guillian Barre may die. However, this is rare, and can also happen as a result of the immune system being triggered by being sick with the flu, as well. Guillian Barre Syndrome was a problem with the 1970s swine flu vaccine, and is cited as a concern by some regarding the current trivalent combination vaccine. Many people also cite concerns about the ingredients, especially thimerosal, a mercury containing compound, but also the other chemical ingredients in the vaccine. In general, autoimmune diseases are on the rise, and it’s not unreasonable to think that immunizations with their myriad of ingredients may contribute to that in susceptible people. Of course, perhaps the biggest, most immediate side effect is that the vaccine doesn’t work. At best, it offers protection for a year, but often immunity fades before flu season even ends and it doesn’t protect the most vulnerable age groups.
Where does that leave me?
First, all vaccines are not created equally. Some are more effective than others. I personally don’t see the scientific evidence for the flu vaccine offering enough protection to warrant getting it for myself or my family, especially when there is only an 18% chance of protection that lasts for only a few months against a disease that is not particularly deadly. The vaccine works best for those that don’t really need it, and isn’t so great at protecting those that really do. The risk of this particular vaccine and its ingredients don't outweigh the risk of getting the flu for us, an otherwise healthy group. I see a lot of autoimmune disease in my practice, as well as in my family, and I have concerns about the ingredients and the way they trigger the immune system. I choose not to vaccinate myself or my family against the flu because the evidence suggests that occasionally getting sick with the flu is the best way for my body to develop effective and longer lasting immunity I’ll need into old age. Breast feeding is one of the best ways to protect an infant under two, who is not within the recommended age for the vaccine, but doesn’t have a fully functioning immune system yet. I understand that I am not in a high risk group. But for most people, most of the time, I don’t recommend this particular vaccine. I do, however, encourage you to make your own choice, and hope I’ve given you the information you need to make an informed decision.
From 1952, when the flu vaccine began being readily available, until the swine flu pandemic in 2009, it was only recommended that children under 19, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, nursing home residents and health care workers be immunized. Largely, healthy adults between 20 and 64 were not immunized. I think this is still a pretty good general place to start, but that ultimately you should decide for yourself, with proper medical guidance if you have questions or concerns. Unfortunately, the vaccine is not that effective for the elderly and so some may decide to pass on the vaccine, but for people with heart disease, especially congestive heart failure, and with respiratory diseases like COPD, the vaccine may give some benefit that even if partially effective, may save someone’s life. If you have a chronic medical condition, or have close contact with or care for someone who does, it is worth a discussion with your doctor. Because of the mercury content (even bound mercury in thimerosal), I don’t recommend a flu shot containing thimerosal for pregnant women.
What should I do to prevent flu (whether or not I get the vaccine)?
First, wash your hands. The flu spreads easily from person to person before symptoms appear, and can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. It’s possible to pick it up the virus through handshakes, breathing air droplets or touching surfaces that may droplets from coughing or sneezing. People may spread the disease before they even know they are infected. Also, clean surfaces and avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
Get good sleep! It’s difficult for your immune system to do its job if you are always run down. Sleep is critical to staying healthy. You may find you need more sleep as the light fades. We are light-sensitive creatures, and it’s normal to need a little more sleep when the days are shorter.
Eat well. Eating seasonal whole foods is important to staying healthy. Include some good immune boosting spices like thyme, garlic, etc. Avoid excess sugar, as refined sugar depresses the immune system.
Get your vitamin D level checked. It may be no coincidence that the flu season is during the fall and winter, when we are not out soaking up the sun and making vitamin D. Particularly in the Pacific Northwest, vitamin D deficiency is a problem. Keeping your vitamin D at optimum levels has been strongly linked to immunity.
NAC, also known as n-acetyl cysteine, can be used as a preventive and lessens the impact of the flu if you are infected. An Italian study found it to be very helpful, with only 25% of those injected with the flu virus becoming ill after taking it for 6 months prior, (vs. 79% who became ill in the placebo group). For prevention, the adult dose is 1000mg, children 6-12 can take 500mg.
Over-the-counter homeopathics like Oscillococcinum, Influenzinum, or Mucococcinum have some research showing they can be effective as preventives.
What should I do if I get the flu?
Antivirals like Tamiflu are already becoming ineffective because of viral resistance, so prescriptions like these are likely not going to offer much relief. Because the flu is a virus, antibiotics will not help, unless you develop a secondary pneumonia (rare). Your doctor will likely prescribe rest and fluids. Echinacea in tea or capsules may be helpful. It has actions similar to Tamiflu, but there is no resistance to the herb as yet.
Elderberry syrup extract, also known as sambucus, at 15ml four times per day can reduce the severity and duration of colds, flu, and sinusitis if taken within the early stages of illness. (Dosage for adults.)
NAC as listed above can be helpful in fighting the flu. At the first sign of flu, adults can take 4000mg and children can take 1500mg.
Increasing the dose of vitamin D may be helpful. Some research shows that taking a megadose for three days at the first sign of the flu may prevent or lessen the symptoms. However, vitamin D can be toxic at high levels for prolonged periods of time, and you should consult your physician before taking large doses.
References:
http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000258
http://phys.org/news/2010-04-seasonal-flu-vaccination-infection-pandemic.html
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/flu.html
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm
http://www.influenzareport.com/ir/vaccines.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/news/updated-vaccine-effectiveness-2014-15.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15080016
The first week of school is busy. Sometimes it starts even before the first day of school. It goes from lazy summer vacation to getting up early every day. Then there are the parent nights, back to school socials, sports, clubs and events. It's not just busy for students, but for parents, too. Keeping kids on track and getting them 'early to bed and early to rise' can be rough on the whole family. Generally, getting into the groove just takes a few weeks, then the hubbub and excitement die down and everyone finds their footing. For this, I recommend just a little self care, including massage and/or chiropractic care.
But what if it's more? Severe fatigue or sleepiness isn't just a normal part of the teen years. It could be a sign of a more serious health issue, such as a thyroid or an autoimmune disorder. Additionally, the sun is already setting earlier; as the light gets lower, there is also the possibility of SAD (seasonal affective disorder), or even depression. For some kids, the beginning of school creates a lot of anxiety; any change in routine causes a fair amount of anxiety, but the start of a new school year (especially if it's a new school, or moving up to junior high or high school) can be rough. Some kids may even have ADHD or other issues that make school particularly difficult.
If you or your child are not settling in to the new schedule as easily as you would hope, it may be time to get some help. If there's no obvious cause for the symptoms, it's time for an initial health screening. Many conditions may be addressed by supporting your health with lifestyle changes and specific nutrition, like increasing vitamin D or light therapy. Some people may have a genetic alteration with one healthy gene and one altered gene that slows down detoxification in the liver, and decreases production of seratonin, dopamine, or other molecules that can affect mood. It goes unnoticed during times of low stress, because one good gene is enough to take care of business as long as there isn't a lot of demand for production of those molecules. However, as demand increases when you're under stress, one good gene is not enough anymore. Here at Tranquility Natural Health, we do the genetic testing to see if this might be an underlying source of your condition and what natural options you have for treatment and support. We can also help put together a comprehensive plan even if you are working with a therapist or psychologist. You may be able to avoid medication or limit the dose with proper treatment.
From normal, every day stress to more complicated health issues, Tranquility Natural Health is here to help. (503) 305-7762
Is your child planning on participating in any sports this year? Do you need a sports physical? Can't make it to the school-sponsored one? Dr. McKaye, DC, ND does very thorough sports physicals. Get all the basics covered in about 20 minutes with no waiting. Half the $40 fee goes back to your child's school athletic program. Dr. McKaye is passionate about supporting young athletes and wants every child who has an interest in sports to be able to participate, so she's made it convenient and affordable. Each exam is good for a two year period. Call (503) 305-7762 to schedule a time that works for your schedule.
Whether you just pushed to make it through the April 15th tax deadline, or just delayed the pain with an extension, the next big deadline is just around the corner. Stress never takes a break, and financial issues are by no means the only source of stress; there are plenty of family, work, and health related stressors that we encounter in our lives.
Some amount of stress is inevitable, and hormones associated with stress help regulate our circadian rhythms, and can give us an edge in competitive activities and performances such as public speaking. Stress hormones help us respond to sudden stressors, real life or death struggles. Our bodies make adrenaline to fight or run for our lives. All the energy behind the stress was used up in the actions we took to save our lives. But we weren’t designed to live in a chronically stressful environment, constantly making hormones as if we were under physical attack.
Now the stressors we face are not so clear cut as an immediate fight for our lives, and they keep coming at us throughout the day. Demands of living in the fast paced world take a toll, with expectations from our boss, our partner, children, parents, other drivers, and the list goes on. To make matters worse, we often replay these events in our mind, and literally re-live the stress, causing the release of all the stress hormones again as if the event was still happening. This can affect our physical health just as surely as it affects our emotional and spiritual health, and is linked to higher levels of inflammation, which is linked to serious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, as well as anxiety and depression. It’s unlikely that you can quit your job and move to a five star spa, so what can you do?
1. Exercise. The stress hormones were meant to get us out of a tight spot, either by running or fighting. Exercise is the natural way to burn off those stress hormones, but doesn’t necessarily have to be strenuous. Yoga, or even simple walking can be a great place to start. Taking a 20 minute walk, swinging your arms in a cross crawl motion, helps your mind and body process all the events of the day so that you don’t have to keep replaying them. Strenuous exercise can be good, too, to utilize all the stress hormones, such as adrenaline, as if you were really taking action in a fight or flight response. Try to exercise away from bedtime, however. Exercising too close to bedtime can get you too energized for good sleep.
2. Sleep. Getting enough sleep is imperative to good health, especially for your brain. Sleep allows for your brain to ‘detox,’ or get rid of all the waste products from daily metabolism, which can be an irritant to your brain if they hang around for a longer period of time. Sleep also helps with memory, which is often already compromised by stress alone. Good sleep is maybe the number one thing that you can do to deal with stress, but it can be tough to achieve if you’re stressed out. It can become a vicious cycle. Exercise can lead to better sleep quality for longer periods of time. Going to bed at a regular time each night, by 10 pm, can also help prevent disruption in cortisol, a stress hormone that also affects your circadian rhythm and can lead to weight gain, diabetes and inflammation.
3. Breathe. When stress hits, your heart rate speeds up, and you tend to hold your breath or breathe shallowly. Deep breathing slows the heart rate and tells your body and your brain that you’re safe. Deep breathing also supplies your body and brain with the oxygen it needs to function, and helps eliminate toxins and waste products like carbon dioxide.
4. Feed yourself well. It may seem pretty basic, but making sure you take the time to eat nourishing food is even more important when you’re stressed. You may be burning through certain key nutrients, like magnesium and B vitamins, more when you’re stressed than at other times. You need to replenish these things in order to function at your best. You can’t fight off a tiger on nutritional fumes. Avoid getting ‘hangry’ and getting sucked into a downward stress spiral by making sure you have the nutrition you need to be at your best. Some people have genetic variations that make it more difficult to utilize some nutrients effectively, and need additional support in this area.
5. Stop negative thinking in its tracks. Going over past mistakes or misfortunes is almost the same as actually reliving those events and causes your body to produce stress hormones all over again. Some reflection can be productive if it helps you learn from the situation so you can handle a similar situation better the next time, but only if you add a good dose of forgiveness along with the instant replay and don’t get stuck in a repeating loop of negativity. Set a time limit for allowing yourself to go over past events. Allow yourself to feel however you feel, but do not beat yourself up or allow any sort of verbal abuse. When the time’s up, move on to something more constructive. If you find negative thoughts creeping in at random times, stop them immediately and reframe the story you tell yourself.
6. Socialize. This is one of the best ways to interrupt negative thinking. Find some people to laugh with, commiserate with, and connect with. Family, friends, support groups all can be great resources. Maybe it’s a hobby group and you’re meeting with people to talk about a pastime you’re passionate about, or getting together to help other people who may be less fortunate, or just a friend or two who make you feel good about yourself that you enjoy spending time with, socializing is really important. Whatever the venue, these should be people who accept, like and/or love you the way you are, whom you have a positive interaction with. Bonus if they are close friends that offer you a new perspective, or are just plain silly.
7. Prioritize. How important is this? Is it more important than your health? Time with your family? What absolutely needs to get done? What can wait or fall by the wayside? Learn to say ‘no’ sometimes, and allow yourself the space to rest, meditate, or just do nothing. While you don’t need to turn into a flake, be realistic about what you can commit to at the outset without ending up overwhelmed and stressed out. Sometimes our priorities change, and it’s okay to embark on a different path, so long as you’re honest with yourself and others.
Finally, get help if you need it. There’s no shame in asking for help. Humans are communal creatures, and we’re meant to live in an interdependent web of support. We live in a busy, crazy world with many demands. Some stress is completely normal, but cumulative stress can lead to disease. While there are a lot of things we can’t control, we can still nurture ourselves to live at our best. Treat yourself gently, taking one step at a time to get to bigger results. Chiropractic care and massage therapy can help reset your nervous system, and relieve the effects of stress. If these steps are not enough, or you’re having difficulty sleeping or optimizing your diet, or have already started experiencing the effects of long term stress, inflammation and chronic disease, call to set up a naturopathic, chiropractic, acupuncture or massage appointment at (503) 305-7762.
Lots of people start out the New Year full of hope for the upcoming year and ready to make some self improvements. Often by late January, early February, however, the resolutions of the New Year have fallen by the wayside, leaving you discouraged. If you want to make this the year that your resolutions finally stick, follow these simple steps.
1. Set realistic goals. Keep your goals manageable, and only make one change at a time. It's great if you want to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, switch to a healthier diet, kick your career into gear, find the love of your life, and generally be a better person, but it can be overwhelming to make a sudden life shift in every area of your life overnight. As admirable as your goals may be, making too many goals is a recipe for failure.
Your goals should also be a reflection of what you want for yourself. For instance, everyone knows the hazards of smoking, but unless you really want to quit for yourself, pressure from your family, doctor, and friends is not going to be enough to sustain your successful quitting. 'Shoulds' generally won't get you very far. You have to want it for yourself. Ask yourself why you want to make the change. Make a list and keep your personal reasons in mind as you work through your goal. Post them somewhere you'll see them often, even if that place is someplace only you can see them.
If you have a lot of goals, or even one big goal, map it out with timelines for smaller goals on the way to your big goal(s). Chunk the goal up into bite sized segments that you can manage to rock successfully. Set up incremental goals on your calendar or smart phone with concrete tasks or behaviors every day or week to get you to where you want to be. Make a vision board to incorporate your more creative side, along with your linear mind. Chunk the goal up into bite sized segments that you can manage to rock successfully. Celebrate and reward yourself for every step that you reach successfully.
2. Plan. How are you going to work your goal into every day life? The stresses of work, school, and family are likely not going to magically line up to create space for you to have the perfect environment for change. You have to plan ahead. How will you deal with stress? What's your back up plan? What steps do you need to have in place to create space for your changes? How do those fit in with the goals and mini-goals you've set for yourself? Visualize yourself being successful in daily life. What does that look like? What do you need to make that happen? It might be keeping a stash of healthy snacks on hand, or a sticky note to remind you to breathe on your computer or dashboard. Whatever it is, make a plan.
3. Enlist support. Find friends, family, and community to help support you and keep you accountable. This might mean that you find partners to help keep you accountable for things like diet or exercise, or it might mean finding group classes that help keep you on track. It may also mean finding a good personal trainer, or enlisting the help of a professional like a counselor, naturopathic, or chiropractic physician. Find a friend or group to walk with, take a healthy cooking class, or just find a fulfilling group activity that gives you something meaningful and rewarding, even if it has nothing to do with your goal directly. When it comes to friends and family, find people who earnestly have your best interest at heart and will support you, even on the days that you feel low. Pick people who will keep you on track and feeling good about yourself.
4. Sleep on it. It's really hard to make changes without enough sleep. Lack of sleep sabotages every goal, and as humans, we are light-sensitive creatures. People tend to need a little more sleep in the darker months naturally, but society encourages us to keep going. Lack of adequate rest leads to increased food cravings and intake, can sabotage the best exercise plans, and leave you less focused for work or school or social engagement. Good sleep makes stress much easier to deal with, and helps cement your good work towards your goal. The processes that happen in sleep will help make your daily activities towards your goal more of a natural habit, and easier to sustain.
5. If at first you don't succeed... try, try again. If you fall off the wagon, just get back on ASAP. Making a mistake or being imperfect doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you human. Don't waste any time beating yourself up about it. Shame is not useful for reaching your goal, but can send you into a downward spiral. Now is the time to be kind and gentle to yourself. Stop any negative thinking and ask yourself what you need to get back up and reach your goal. It may be time to ask for assistance.
Re-evaluate your goal. Was it realistic? Did you do enough planning? Was it something you really wanted? Is it something you still want? It's not a failure if you realize that it's not something you really want, and you decide to let it go and pursue something else that's more in line with what you want for your life. If it is still something that you really want, go back to step one and reset your goals and plans, find support and get back on track! Sometimes failure can lead to some insights and a better plan and greater success in the long run, if you use it to your advantage and really take the lesson from it.
6. Setting a habit takes about 21 days. Go back through these steps until you make it through for three weeks or so. At first, it may feel like you're white knuckling through, but it should get easier and easier to maintain without a lot of additional effort, especially if you remind yourself why you want this for yourself. For most goals, you can start to relax a little once it becomes more habit, and start to follow the 80/20 rule. If you're doing the right thing (diet or exercise) 80% of the time, you're still going to see results. (Smoking, dangerous or addictive behaviors, eating disorders, or areas that may be real triggers for you are exceptions).
Bonus: If your goal is to have a healthier diet, lose weight and resist cravings, my colleague Dr. Ben Lynch, ND recommends this protocol. If you are craving simple carbs like chips, chocolate, ice cream, or bread, and these foods leave you feeling more relaxed, calm and happy, you may be low in serotonin. Combat these cravings, and get the peaceful effects without giving in to the craving by taking one capsule of 50mg 5-HTP. If you're craving more calorie-dense foods like pizza or fast foods, you may be low in dopamine. A capsule of 250-500mg of L-Tyrosine may help curb the craving. These supplements should not be taken if you are on some medications, and may need to be supervised. If there is an underlying mood issue or eating disorder, that should also be addressed with your physician. (This does not constitute, and should not be construed as, medical advice. Dietary needs are unique depending on the individual, and I recommend individual evaluation depending on your unique needs. Every calorie is not created equally!)
Everyone starts out the New Year with the best of intentions. We can help you keep them!
Call for your appointment today. (503) 305-7762
Over the weekend, I was introduced to this story. It's powerful, and heart-breaking, and completely unacceptable. (Scroll down if you don't want to cry or get really angry).
While this type of reaction to antibiotics is extreme, and fortunately rare, the truth is that chiropractic care can make a big difference in childhood ear infections.
Ear infections are often self-limiting, which means that they often resolve within two weeks with or without treatment. That's great, unless it's your child who is suffering.
Antibiotics have been greatly overused, leading to antibiotic resistant superbugs, like MRSA and others. There are side effects, as seen in Wyatt's case. Other problems can include a dangerous infection in the bowel called C. difficile. Because of the side effects and the rise of superbugs, the medical literature now suggests that doctors take a 'watch and wait' approach in treating ear infections. Again, that's not very helpful when your child is in pain.
Ear infections are not always due to bacteria, so antibiotics can't help at all if that's the case. The cause of your child's ear infection could be due to a virus or allergies, or subluxation. Antihistamines are not recommneded, even if it's due to allergies.
Children's heads, ears, and eustachian tubes are shaped differently than adults, so fluid doesn't drain as well. Because it's such a small region, if the vertebrae of the neck are out of alignment (called 'subluxation'), it can lead to further problems with draining the eustachian tube and middle ear, creating a warm, wet environment that bacteria love to grow in, along with pressure and pain from fluid build up behind the ear drum.
The risk of an untreated bacterial ear infection is that the infection can get into the bones of the head behind the ear, called mastoiditis. This is used to happen more frequently before antibiotics were available, but even then it was relatively rare. As a farm family, my family rarely went to the doctor and never to a chiropractor, and my uncle had chronic ear infections which led to this, and it required surgery. This can be a serious condition, which is why your pediatrician may still want to prescribe antibiotics. Even though the ear infection will likely resolve eventually. Even though antibiotics may not help. Even though antibiotics may have some serious side effects.
See a chiropractor! Chiropractic adjustments and other treatments can help immediately reduce the ear pressure and pain your child is experiencing. Getting a chiropractic adjustment can release congestion in the small area of the neck and head, including around the eustachian tube, to allow for better draining. Addressing subluxation can also help prevent future ear infections. At Tranquility Natural Health, Dr. McKaye, DC, ND will monitor your child closely, and ensure that the infection is resolving properly.
Don't let your child go to sleep with a bottle. Lying down to drink a bottle can lead to fluid pooling in the back of the mouth and allow more fluid to wash up into the eustachian tube, creating an environment that can promote ear infections.
Make sure no one is smoking in the home, or around the child. Cigarette smoke can irritate the airways, leading to more mucous secretion and more fluid build up. It's also associated with repeat strep infections.
Consider the possibility your child may have some allergies, especially if your child has repeat infections. It could be pets, foods, or pollen, mold or dust. If you have a family history of allergies, asthma, or eczema, or if your child has any of these problems, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the burden on your child's body, including chiropractic adjusting. Chiropractic and naturopathic medicine can help you address this component to keep your child healthy.
Bring in five non-perishable food items and get a FREE chiropractic treatment if you're an established patient. If you're new, get a FREE intake examination OR 20% off a massage or other service. Give us a call to schedule today. (503) 305-7762. Good through 01/5/2015.
Oregon Food Bank estimates that about 270,000 people per month eat meals from emergency food boxes. 92,0000 of those are children. Help feed the hungry in our community this holiday season.
Last night was filled with good food, good friends, Dr. Colleen Amann, ND sharing info on Aesthetic Medicine, free chair massage and a refreshing mini Qi Gong class! Thanks to everyone who made yesterday's Grand Opening celebration so much fun!
Tonight we had more great food, free chair massage, mini Qi Gong classes, and guest speaker Dr. Kathryn Brooks, ND shared info on IV Therapy and Naturopathic Skin Care.
If you missed out, we'll have more events tomorrow! Check the schedule below, or just stop by between 3-7pm.
Please join us for our Grand Opening November 3rd, 4th and 5th from 3pm-7pm!