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 205: Interview with eaglemoon raes: Hypnosis, Reiki, Avatar, Melchizedek, EFT, Live Love and Laugh!

A GREAT interview with eaglemoon raes, who is going forward with helping couples discover their archetypes and each other. She is a justice of the peace so can join people in marriage. She combines her training and experience in hypnosis, Reiki, Emotional Freedom Technique, Avatar, and Melchizedek to help people with energy medicine that can transform lives! We discover some lovely ideas and insights. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 204: Interview with Karl Goldkamp, N.D.: Healing Crohn's/Ulcerative Colitis with the Ketogenic Diet

This is the story of Karl Goldkamp, N.D., a naturopathic physician, who had some personal tragedies in his life. In short order, his beloved brother, who he supported with natural medicine, finally died of mutliple myeloma. His mother also passed. And his wife was found to have a benign brain tumor. That and the bankruptcy of his Connecticut business led him to severe stress, and an extremely severe case of Crohn's/ulcerative colitis. He tried conventional therapy and that didn't work. While feeling better after a blood transfusion, he sought out answers, and decided to do FMT, fecal microbiota transfer. The donor was his wife! (She recovered from her brain tumor.) This held off the acute symptoms. Then he researched and went to conferences, and learned all about the ketogenic diet. When he started eating this way, his Crohns/colitis completely resolved, and he has no signs or symptoms to this day. He and his wife Judy are mostly carnivores; most days they eat only animal protein, like steak, bacon and eggs, and they have homemade mayonnaise, and very small amounts of vegetables in relish form. They have also come up with a C8 fatty acid, C8-Keto, which is ketogenic friendly and an energizing source of fat. Karl now counsels people on the application of the ketogenic diet for health. Karl also engages in high intensity interval training and feels more fit and healthy than he did in his 20's!

Radio Naturopath Episode 203: Interview with Diane Dorfer, Jiff Martin and Sydney Clements: CSAs and Get to Know Your Local Farmers!

Today I interviewed Diane Dorfer of Cobblestone Farm CSA in Mansfield, CT; Jiff Martin, Sustainable Food System Associate Educator for UConn Extension; and Sydney Clements of the Windham Community Food Network. There are great events coming up: the alliterative Friends and Farmers Family Fun Night, Friday, February 22, 5:30-8:30 PM at the Mansfield Community Center; and the Know Your Farmer Fair at Windham Town Hall, 979 Main Street in Willimantic, Saturday, February 23 10:00 am-1:00 PM. We talked about these great opportunities to get to know your local and regional farmers. We also talked about CSAs and why they're great; the Taste of Mansfield, pulling farms and farm events together with the community; and also the great work of the Windham Community Food Network. They are working on a double your dollars the Willimantic Farmers Market for your SNAP/EBT benefits; working with the Spring Valley Student Farm, Willow Valley Farm, and Cobblestone Farm to allow gleaning; and also the UConn Food Recovery Network, which gets food from local establishments to distribute to food pantries. Lots of great stuff going on with local, natural food!

Radio Naturopath Episode 202: Eat and Dress For the Cold, New Testing and Treatment for Cholesterol

We've got the Polar Vortex, so I remind you to get out the fleece, wool, shearling (can be cotton or synthetic! WISH IT WAS HEMP) Cover up and wear those thermal shirts! I can't live without them. Also, some great things to eat and drink, like soup, spicy, and Mexican hot cocoa! That's cocoa with added cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. I like mine with turmeric too!

I also did a review on cholesterol! What it is, what it does, and some neat new tests that go beyond just what the volume of cholesterol is in your blood. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 201: New Blood Test for Alzheimer's Plus Natural Treatments; Get Rid Of That 4 Week Cough and Cold

I was inspired today by none other than Maria Shriver on the Today Show, who talked about a new blood test for Alzheimer's disease. She didn't go into as much detail as the article I found, so when I looked it up I found that it's the NFL test. Very appropriate for the upcoming sporting events! But it stands for NeuroFilament Light chains. I went to look in Quest Diagnostics where I order my labs, and it's not offered there. There's definitely a couple of companies that do it but I don't know if I have access to them. Quanterix does it but I don't know who has access to it. Anyway, it's a breakdown product of neuronal tissue. The more you have, the more likely you are to have brain neurodegeneration! If you have the genetic, early onset Alzheimer's, your levels will rise over time. If you have the non-genetic, they'll stay about the same. There are natural ways to head off the development of Alzheimer's, so I went through a bunch of them. One of them is EAT YOUR COCONUT OIL. It makes you smart!

Also, so many people have that cold or cough that just won't go away, so I gave out advice to help with that. Eucalyptus! Echinacea and goldenseal! Vitamins A, C, E, Zinc! Thin your mucus with guaifenesin, NAC, and bromelain! 

Bicycle Talk Episode 130: Indoor Cycling for Winter Fitness; Go Slow to Go Fast; Saddle Height; Winter Weight Loss; Swimming for Cyclists

Fran guest hosts today! I talk about how ANY indoor training class can be good for you, whether focusing on classic cycling styles or fitness classes such as Soul Cycle. You gotta go slow to go fast; it’s good for your head and actually boosts your cardiovascular system! Get the right saddle height for comfort and efficiency. Some tips on getting that weight down in the winter. Plus, why SWIMMING should be your next cross-training sport!

Radio Naturopath Episode 200: Happy 2019! New Year's Resolutions, and Natural Help for Fertility

Start small. Focus on one resolution at a time. Go slow. Be kind to yourself! Good practical advice on how to start the new year right. Plus, some practical help for increasing fertility, naturally!

Radio Naturopath Episode 199: Interview with Laura Chartrand: All about CLiCK Willimantic, A Cooperative Community Kitchen

Today we had Laura Chartrand, the education coordinator at CLiCK, the Community Licensed Cooperative Kitchen in Willimantic, CT. We talked about the mission of CLiCK, the various classes they have, their garden, and the local businesses they support. We’re on a mission to get people eating and living healthfully everywhere!