Radio Naturopath Episode 317: Ivermectin; Your Health in the Time of COVID-19; Colorectal Cancer

I took a chance and discussed the drug ivermectin, which people are obtaining out of desperation any way that they can for COVID-19. This is very concerning, because ivermectin has not been proven to be efficacious at preventing or treating COVID-19. It also has toxic side effects, and when people are obtaining it without a prescription they are taking toxic amounts and are in need of poison control! Ivermectin IS being studied, but at this time it has nowhere near the efficacy or proven benefit of the COVID-19 vaccines. Plus, in my opinion, NOBODY should be relying only on vaccines or drugs to protect them from COVID-19. We should still be wearing masks in congregate settings and indoors; gargling and cleaning our noses; eating healthy fruits, vegetables, and protein and avoiding food intolerances and unhealthy processed foods and refined foods; getting adequate rest; reducing stress; and getting regular exercise. It's possible that ivermectin will prove to have some efficacy but it should be prescribed by a doctor or used if you unfortunately wind up in the hospital being treated for COVIDI-19.

I also talked about colon cancer: what it is, how to prevent, diagnose, and treat it with both biomedicine and natural medicine.

Radio Naturopath Episode 316: Neti Pots, Nasal Sprays and Gargling; Help for Diverticulosis-Itis

This week we talked about the benefits of nasal rinses, such as neti pots and nasal sprays with salt and xylitol. These can be helpful in preventing and treating respiratory infections. Although they are not strictly proven, it does make sense to have good respiratory hygiene. I think it's a useful practice during the pandemic.

We also talked about diverticulosis and diverticulitis. This is a very common problem so I get frequent requests to discuss it. Acutely, you need bowel rest, probably antibiotics, probiotics, and a liquid diet. For prevention, it's fiber, fiber fiber! Fiber improves bowel tone and makes it so that food does not get stuck in the diverticular pockets.

Radio Naturopath Episode 315: Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Vaccine Hesitancy, Get Some Exercise!

This week I talked about the Novavax vaccine, a new vaccine for COVID-19 that is in its final stages of study before receiving emergency use authorization. It may be more palatable to many people because it doesn't use mRNA or DNA technology, just purified spike protein and a plant immune adjuvant. It may be available as soon as October.

I also talked about vaccine hesitancy and why people think the vaccines were "rushed". They really weren't, many parts of the research process existed already, and they were studied in a fashion that's comparable to how other vaccines have been studied. I go into detail about this.

To finish off, I find various ways to encourage people to get regular exercise! Let's hope they work!

Radio Naturopath Episode 314: Lyme Disease 2021: Update on Prevention and Treatment

This week, I did a review of Lyme disease recommendations for prevention and treatment. I've been seeing more people with Lyme disease lately, and lots of people getting tick bites or pulling them off animals. We've had a lot of rain and dampness and that's an ideal breeding ground for ticks. With such an extreme focus on COVID-19, people may have forgotten that tick borne illness is not cancelled! So, discussion of antibiotics, keeping your yard trimmed and safe, insect repellent, and natural prevention and treatment of tick borne illnesses.

Radio Naturopath Episode 313: Vaccine Mandates At Work, Tea Tree Oil and Your Oral Health

This week, I talked about mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic for workplaces. Currently due to the sharp increase in cases across the country, indoor mask mandates are being reinstituted. I got asked what if someone is vaccine hesitant and there is a mandate at their place of business. I talked about how it is currently legal for private employers to fire or not hire people who are unvaccinated. A course of action might depend upon whether the mandate is absolute or there are exceptions. I was also asked how to detox from the vaccination. The bottom line was, it's not a good idea to try to do major "detox" in the two weeks following the vaccination, as you don't want any components to leave your body. By all means, you can use some medicine to make yourself more comfortable, but if you feel the need to detox it's a good idea to wait until at least two weeks after vaccination.

I also talked about how great tea tree oil is for oral health, and basic things you can do to improve oral health.

Radio Naturopath Episode 312: Organic On a Budget, Onion, Broccoli, and Pigments

Today I discussed ways to make organic produce more cost effective: things such as buying local, frozen, store brands, and more. I also talked about choosing organic produce that is more likely to have significant amounts of pesticides if not organic, and buy non-organic for items with heavy skins and peels, as recommended by the Environmental Working Group.

We also discussed why particular vegetables and constituents are good for you: onions, garlic, and other alliums, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and those colorful pigments you find on your vegetables.

Radio Naturopath Episode 311: The Benefits of Farmer's Markets and CSAs, and Fiber!

This week, I showcased our wonderful farmer's markets an CSAs. I talked about the benefits of them, the quality of the organic produce, the reduced effect on the environment, and the benefits to the community. I also talked about health reasons why their produce is so good for us, and an aside on the great benefits of fiber.

Radio Naturopath Episode 310: Protect Yourself: The COVID-19 Pandemic Isn't Over, Micellar Water Etc.

I started with a serious reminder that the pandemic is not over. People of the United States are only 47% fully vaccinated, and there are hot spots in areas where people are largely unvaccinated. It's still a good idea to avoid congregate setting when you can, mask when you can't, and if you go to the gym, place of worship, or a place to sing, consider whether people are vaccinated, the extent of ventilation, and whether it's best to wear a mask. COVID-19 spreads by aerosols, and the more aerosol you breath the more virus you can inhale. It's not time to completely let down our guard.

On to a lighter note: health and beauty aids! I talked about micellar water which is all the rage right now! That, and why you might want to use toner. I also talked about sunscreens and some ingredients and nutrition to protect against skin cancer.

Radio Naturopath Episode 309: SWEAT: Why It's Good For You, When It's Too Much

This week, I talked about a subject dear to my heart, and to heated folks everywhere: SWEAT. We discussed why it's good to sweat, how it helps with detoxification, how it cools you down, why it stinks, and help for making it stink less. We also talked about hyperhidrosis, that condition where you sweat too much, and the various causes and remedies for that.

Radio Naturopath Episode 308: COVID-19 Vaccination by State, Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding

I was curious to see what the COVID-19 vaccination rate and also the absolute number of vaccinated people ranked by state in the United States. Unfortunately, the states with the lowest rates are in the south, Missippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Louisiana at the bottom 5. This may be due to access, education, politics, and mistrust. All of the New England states are in the top 7, and the only reason they AREN'T the top 6 is because Maryland is #6! They edged out New Hampshire by just a little. Again, access, education, politics, trust.

The main topic of the day was dysfunctional uterine bleeding. It's a very important topic because the prevalence in the United States is somewhere between 10-30%. To me, this means there's something about our lifestyles that is promoting this. I do note that I seem to see a lot of women in my practice with the condition. There are various causes and sometimes the cause is unknown, but there are lots of things to try, both biomedical and natural.