Radio Naturopath Episode 501: Stress Reduction, Watermelon and the Mediterranean Diet and Health

This week, I talked with Ron about our advancing health situations. I'm likely going to have a laminectomy (short procedure spinal repair) for my spinal stenosis. Ron is healing more and more every day, still getting sore but managing it, riding the bike mostly indoors! I also talked about how women get mammograms, have a finding that needs another look, and have the follow-up several weeks into the future while they wait and worry, and how that's of questionable ethics, especially when often the result is normal. Of course, it's necessary to investigate findings that could not be definitively noted on first look, but I think every effort should be made to not have the woman wait for further diagnosis an inordinate amount of time. 

We also talked about some fun stuff: a few more stress reduction items including deep breathing, why watermelon is good for you, why nightshades are probably ALSO good for you, and why the Mediterranean diet is good for you. Eat those plant foods, healthy fats, and protein!

Radio Naturopath Episode 500: How to Lower Triglycerides, Lots of Ways to Lower Stress

This week, I talked specifically about how to lower triglycerides, since I have a number of patients who struggle with that. It's the boring stuff: eating fiber, high quality fatty acids, reducing carbs, and getting regular cardio exercise. There's not a lot of supplements that work better than lifestyle stuff for this, and the drugs have side effects. So eat healthy and get healthy and they'll go down!

I also talked about specific ways to lower stress. Everything from self care, taking yoga, and, you guessed it, eating a healthy diet! By the way, eating a healthy diet is actually more important than whatever you actually wind up weighing. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 443: Lifestyle Changes to Lower Blood Pressure

This week, I started talking about the very important topic of hypertension, high blood pressure. Our focus this week was on basic lifestyle things to do to lower blood pressure. Some of it is SHOCKING! Stuff like: eat more vegetables and fruit, eat more clean protein, drink more water, get more exercise, stop smoking, do stress reducing activities like deep breathing, leisure walks in nature, yoga, and meditation, and get good quality and quantity of sleep. WHO WOULDA THUNKIT??? It's so important that we'll pick up on this next week, and include actual supplements that help with blood pressure. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 414: Migraines, Epsom Salts Baths, Float Tanks

Today I updated on how I'm healing and the hypothesis that I have migraines, and some ways to help to prevent them naturally. Riboflavin and magnesium are awesome! I also talked about how Epsom salts can help you, whether in a bath at home or in a float tank. We started talking about the benefits of being outdoors but we'll save that for next show. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 339: Natural Therapies for High Blood Pressure

This week it was all about hypertension. How it's so common, how you can't tell who's going to have it, how there's a big genetic component. There's foods you can eat, supplements to take, exercise to do. And there's even herbs and supplements that have similar mechanisms to common hypertension medications! It can be hard to treat but not impossible.

Radio Naturopath Episode 336: Supplement Timing, Red Wine, Food and LDL, QiGong, Natural Feminine Products

Today I had a question about the timing of supplements. We talked about how there are certain ones that are taken at certain times for specific purposes, but I don't like to be too strict about that because it affects compliance. I also talked about red wine and cholesterol; it definitely helps but not necessary for everyone to drink, and there are non-alcoholic foods and beverages that can also help to lower LDL. And don't forget cardio exercise! I've become a big QiGong fan and have been finding it very healing, helpful, and stress-reducing, so I talked all about it. And I advised women, especially those that have menstrual spotting between periods, to consider using unbleached sanitary supplies, or even reusable menstrual cups, that bleached supplies can contain dioxins and other chemicals that can affect menses!

Radio Naturopath Episode 319: Migraines: Ocular, Common, Classic, and Help for Prevention and Treatment

This week, I talked about migraines, how they happen, what meds get used, how to help to prevent them and how natural medicine and lifestyle fits in. I'm so lucky, I had an ocular migraine that sent me to the ER thinking I had a stroke! But I didn't, I got diagnosed with ocular migraine. So, more rest, more hydration, more beach and nature, less sugar.

Radio Naturopath Episode 207: Alternative Medicine and Thinking Beyond Opioids

On March 6, 2019, I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at Eastern Connecticut State University called A Wellness Approach to Pain: Thinking Beyond Opioids. I talked about some statistics on opioid use and abuse in the US. I mentioned how naturopathic principles can help with chronic pain. Then I talked about how NSAIDS and acetaminophen are actually more effective than opioids, although problematic. I talked about the effectiveness of physical medicine, like acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic, and how those things are not readily accessible due to doctor and patient attitude, poor insurance coverage, and high cost. I talked about how certain supplements, stress reduction, and diet change can all help with chronic pain. And I presented that if people in general had easy, regular, affordable access to physical medicine, it would go a long way to reversing the opioid crisis.

Radio Naturopath Episode 206: Review of Menopausal Symptoms and Natural Treatments

Time to review MENOPAUSE for we menopausal folks. A nice overview of natural supplements for symptoms. Black cohosh and evening primrose for hot flashes; vitamin E and aloe for sexual comfort; damiana and WEIGHT TRAINING for sex drive; and Vitamins A, K and herbs for heavy menses! It's a rough road but SOMEONE'S gotta ride it. 75%  of women in industrialized society, including me! Preferably on a bicycle.

Radio Naturopath Episode 197: Healthy Hot Cocoa, Rest Is the Most Important Part of Weight Loss, Why Jicama is Good For You

HOT COCOA. It can be good for you, and I think it can be even better with matcha in it! Rock those antioxidants! Or do cocoa chai, with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and cayenne. Way to warm you up on a cold day. Don't forget the marshmallows! Also, REST is the most important part of weight loss! If your cortisol is too high, you'll store fat. So nap, meditate, breathe, walk in nature! The first rule of weight loss? Don't talk about weight loss. Talk about all the other good things that you can do for your health that can incidentally get you there. Plus JICAMA is good for you! It's crunchy, low calorie, and has lots of fiber. Great healthy alternative to crackers!