holistica naturopathic

New Year

2012-01-26T13:43:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe it's almost February! I finished the two year, hospital-based, naturopathic oncology residency in the Midwest at the end of December and have spent the last month re-acclimating to life in the Pacific Northwest. The job hunt is in the back of my mind (perhaps I should start moving it a bit more forward?), but I'm still trying to decide whether to join a practice or start my own. Decisions....

As I haven't posted anything in a while, so I figured I'd post links to my Facebook and Twitter pages. So much easier to post just a few words instead of an entire blog entry.

Follow/Fan/Like as you wish!

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-06T18:08:00.011-04:00

"There is a GARDEN of information available about early breast cancer detection. GROW your knowledge!"

These days, I have been feeling super crafty. Creativity helps me unwind after a day at work. I've been teaching myself to knit, and am now a whiz with papier maché. When the The Retreat's 4th Annual Decorated Bra Event made the call for entries, I leaped at the opportunity. The contest raises money for HeartStrings Sisters, a volunteer organization sponsored by IU Health Goshen and The Retreat, that provides information, free mammograms, and emotional support to women diagnosed with breast cancer. Votes are donations, and the winning bra is the one that raises the most money.

I wanted to create something beautiful, inspired by my patients. As I am a naturopathic doctor, I also wanted to make something "nature-y." A friend provided the sprig of artificial flowers, and my glue gun and I went to work. I used a foundation of burlap (a tote bag I bought earlier this summer at Target), lining the bra in striped fabric, and using green on the outside. I left the edges rough, to resemble growing grass. I then covered the burlap in flowers, leaves, and ivy.

My favorite detail is the small cluster of "baby's breath" hiding the clasp in the back.

Please visit the contest website and vote for your favorite. Vote for more than one, all of the proceeds go to HeartStrings Sisters.

For more information and to vote, go to goshenbracontest.org or vote in person at The Retreat in Goshen. The bras will be on display at First Friday, November 4, 2011, at Bryan Chris Photography.

Thank you, Steve.

2011-10-06T05:54:00.001-04:00

"...believing that the dots will connect down the road, will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path..."

iced green tea with strawberry lemonade

2011-07-21T20:11:00.002-04:00

not exactly an Arnold Palmer, but definitely refreshing. any ideas for a name?

Heat wave

2011-07-20T20:20:00.007-04:00

Growing up mostly on the East Coast, I know heat and humidity, but those six years in Portland really spoiled me. Sure, we would get a week of 90° plus weather with a bit of humidity and I would complain with the rest of them. But I'm here in the Midwest, now, and do they know how to do summer heat. The heat wave hit my town on Sunday. I felt it Saturday, when I was in Chicago. But that was nothing. It is now 8:30 pm, and the temperature outside is 91°, but the Accuweather RealFeel® is 105°. I live in an apartment without air conditioning and with the magic of fans and closed windows, I have managed to keep my place a "refreshing" 78°. It's a bit muggy indoors, but not as steamy as it is out there.

I decided to dig up some past postings about beating the heat, staying hydrated, and knowing your water quality. (Sorry about any broken links!)

Keep cool! Ideas on staying comfortable when it's anything but outside.

Water. Helpful hints on hydration. I made the comment about drinking half your body weight in water, and this thought is very controversial. I'm a proponent of taking in enough to replace what you output, which for the average healthy person under every day circumstances is about 8 cups a day. And this is not just water, but soups, juices and herbal teas. Special situations call for more or less hydration.

Classic Summertime Gazpacho. Soup in the summer? You know it! And I'm not just talking about cool, delicious gazpacho, as featured in this post. When I was in Chicago, I had lunch at XOCO, a fantastic café featuring Mexican street food. The spicy and filling Carnitas Caldo was the perfect meal on a warm Chicago afternoon. I mean, just look at this soup!

What's in YOUR water? It's all about quality in this post about Environmental Working Group's 2009 article about the pollutants that exist in our water supply. Enter in your zip code and find out what's in your local water.

Aging IS all in your mind!

2011-03-12T13:28:00.001-05:00

Quick and Easy Pan Chili

2011-03-06T17:17:00.007-05:00

Sunday is when I make lunches for the week, typically something I can portion into individual glass containers, refrigerate, and grab on my way out the door in the morning. A few weeks ago when I was using my stock pot for one thing, my slow cooker for another, I came up with this easy, quick way to make chili in a covered sauté pan.

Quick and Easy Pan Chili
(All organic ingredients were used in the making of this recipe)

One medium onion, diced
Two large carrots, diced
One pound ground turkey, buffalo, or grass-fed beef (optional)
Two 15 oz cans of beans, drained & rinsed, any variety (Eden Farms makes BPA-free cans)
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Cumin, approximately 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste
Jar of marinara sauce
Olive oil
Garnishes (grated cheese, plain yogurt, diced onion)

Cook onions and carrots in small amount of olive oil, in a deep sauté pan with a lid, over low to medium heat until soft.
Turn up the heat, add ground meat and brown, turning often.
Season with spices.
Stir in beans, then add marinara sauce.
Cover and simmer until heated thoroughly and meat is cooked.
Garnish and serve over brown rice, polenta, and kale or other hearty greens.

I don't add a lot of seasoning because the marinara sauce has plenty of flavor. I just "de-Italian" the chili by adding the cumin and cayenne. Sometimes, I add frozen mixed veggies for more "greens." Clean up is super quick, just the skillet, cutting board, and any utensils used for stirring (or sampling).

The chili can be made without ground meat, just add more beans or even more veggies (peppers, celery, sweet potatoes, or squash). The beans don't have to be canned; if there is time, rehydrate dried beans. It's less expensive and there is less risk of BPA or other contaminants from cans.

Related Information
BPA in Cans | Organic Grace
Two Cents for Safer Cans

Comfort food: Roasted chicken

2010-12-06T19:37:00.008-05:00

Gluten-free comfort food is easy, and the perfect thing on a cold, blustery winter's eve. Here's my take on this classic entree:

Stuff a chicken with carrots, sage, thyme, and apple slices. Massage the outside with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Place in dutch oven on top of chunks of carrots and red potatoes that have been tossed in olive oil. Roast at 425° for 30 minutes, cover with foil and reduce to 350° until done (internal temperature of 160°). Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with Brussels sprouts and homemade applesauce.

Challenges

2010-11-13T09:52:00.015-05:00

I wrote this list on Saturday, which is also the last day I took ibuprofen. Have managed my pain since then with homeopathy, and have recovered a fair amount of range of motion. Still have point tenderness over my biceps tendon and my deltoid feels bruised, like I got a tetanus shot, but the pain is so much less, and I don't have the stomach upset from the ibuprofen.

Okay, I mentioned I tore my right rotator cuff, but I failed to mention this is my dominant arm. Yeah, good times. I've mentally been keeping a list of things I am finding rather challenging to do with my left arm. I'm not whining, it's actually kind of funny. Some of the following are impossible to do, and so they are in bold, others are just...a challenge.

Drive (dang standard shift)
Eat steak (unless someone oh-so-kindly pre-cuts it for me)
Go to the bathroom (T.M.I?)
Put on my sling
Sweep
Pick up said sweeped items (much more challenging than sweep)
Use a knife, safely, I must add
Open a jar
Open a can (that may be impossible, but haven't actually tried that one, yet)
Open pill bottles
Raise the roof (woot woot)
Walk the 85-lb dog
Get dressed (SLEEVES! *shakes fist at the heavens*)
Get undressed (SLEEVES!!!)
Shake fist at the heavens (the left hand has now taken over this duty)
Shake hands (again, thank you, left hand)
High five (left only)
Make a bed
Wash, shave or dry armpits
Apply deodorant
Make a ponytail/braid
Untie knots
Tie shoes
Rake leaves
Do two things at once (that's probably for the best)
Brush teeth.
Floss teeth.

Have you ever torn your rotator cuff? If so, what was your biggest challenge?

Woulda, coulda, shoulder

2010-11-12T22:03:00.016-05:00

I have been struggling for almost a week with a sore right shoulder. I woke up Saturday morning with a dull ache. Didn't think much about it, the whole right side of my neck has been tight for months, and the muscles on the right side of my upper back have several knots. As I went about my day (got a mani/pedi, helped a friend paint her living room, ran errands, bought groceries), the pain increased and the range of motion decreased. When driving, I found myself needing two hands to push the stickshift into reverse. I massaged some Inflamyar into the shoulder and took some ProTrauma, figured it was just a strain.

Woke up the next day with even more pain and less range of motion, and as the day progressed, so did the symptoms. By Sunday night, the pain was so intense, I couldn't sleep and several times thought about walking a few blocks to the Emergency Department. By Tuesday, I lost the ability to raise my arm to the side (abduct) more than 10°, couldn't externally or internally rotate the humerus (upper arm), or touch my opposite shoulder. Miraculously, I got an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon for the next day. Three x-rays were taken and after reviewing them and performing a physical exam, the doctor told me I had a torn rotator cuff, and probable labrum tear. Yikes.

Did I recently hear a "pop" or feel a click in my shoulder, the surgeon asked. My joints often click, and I didn't recall hearing any "pop" or feeling a sudden onset of pain. I figured it happened Friday night, when I was trying to manage the dog at First Friday. But thinking back, my shoulder hurt when I went to Chicago a few weeks ago. And it was kind of achy when I hauled pieces of a tree fallen by a tornado a week or so before that. Then there all those times the ginormous 'potamus has pulled on her leash really hard to meet another dog. Multiply that by seven years.

It's easy for me to blame the dog, but it's not her fault. If I ever felt a twinge in my shoulder after a dog walk, I most likely worked through it. This past Saturday, my arm was achy and I still painted a wall, just limited my movement. Not going to let a little soreness get in my way. I am woman, hear me roar. Owwww. Multiply that by 30 or so years (I'm guessing as a little kid I was pretty intolerant of pain).

Won't know what's going on until the MRI arthrogram this Thursday. I'll meet with the surgeon the following Monday and we'll discuss my options. Surgery scares me, not because it's surgery, but because I will be limited in what I can do. Because I will be dependent on other people (it's happening already). Scary. Oh, the things on the internet about how painful recovery can be...yeah, that's scary, too. I warned the nurse that I'm one of "those" patients, who looks everything up on the internet. She didn't seem to mind.

We'll see what the next few weeks bring. I have been using naturopathic protocols so I can use less prescription and over-the-counter pain meds. Am about to walk to the Farmers' Market to get soup bones to make yummy, healing mineral broth. I just accepted a neighbor's offer to help with walking the dog. I'll be updating this blog with my experiences (OMG, MRI!), hopefully it will be more humor than whine.

First Friday: Juju's night out

2010-11-11T04:28:00.008-05:00

I brought Juju to First Friday last week for the opening night (re-opening) of From Pet Scratch Bakery/Pampered Pet Boutique. The bakery used to be around the corner on Washington Street, and has now moved to a larger location on Main, joining forces with Pampered Pet, formerly located in Shipshewana.

Lynn, from the bakery, has created some all natural and organic dog treats that really are beautiful. I keep trying to convince her to bake equally beautiful treats for people! Most of the dog treats are wheat- and corn-free, two grains that many dogs can't tolerate. I bought a dozen treats and a very special birthday cookie for Juju; she turned seven on November 3rd.

Here are some highlights:

Carob dipped bars and "Cupcake" cookies.

Snowmen! (That's yogurt icing)

Savory pizza treats. Okay, I did take a nibble of this one (hey, it's wheat-free!), and it tastes very pizza-y. All of the ingredients are posted, and are fit for human consumption.

"Donuts" and "Eclairs" with yogurt filling

Cookies! How cute are these? I love the cookie sandwiches with the insets of mittens or snowmen. Lynn is truly an artist!

"Whoopie Pies" and "Cannoli."

There are quite a few more versions, including the classic peanut butter treat. She's even created a little bite-sized, training treat and there are several selections for cats. Mail order is available, check out the website for more information.

This Sunday, November 14th, there will be an open house, part of Shop Outside the Box, encouraging holiday shoppers to buy locally, instead of at the giant box stores.

From Scratch Pet Bakery/Pampered Pet Boutique
108 S Main Street
Goshen, IN

Mind Your Mammaries Month

2010-10-04T21:47:00.004-04:00

Leave it to the elegantly eloquent Judy McGuire to come up with several ways of honoring your "magnificent chichis." If I may add to her list, I would recommend finding a wireless bra, or even (oh-so-carefully) ripping out the wire that's already there. Mmm, comfy.

Today in Sex: Mind Your Mammaries Month (via Seattle Weekly).

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-02T13:55:00.005-04:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought I'd share a couple of links to websites that are educational and informative.

• Feel Your Boobies - Founded by Leigh Hurst, a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed when she was 33 years old, Feel Your Boobies is a hip and unconventional campaign to encourage women to perform self breast exams.

• Susan G. Komen for the Cure - The largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, the Komen website has a comprehensive Understanding Breast Cancer Guide, answering questions you may have regarding cancer risk, detection, diagnosis, and more.

Ellen Begins Breast Cancer Awareness Month - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Twinkie

2010-08-19T13:23:00.001-04:00

All 37 ingredients in a Twinkie. You may actually recognize a few of them.

(via jayparkinsonmd)

Zucchini ribbons with white beans and tomatoes

2010-08-15T17:22:00.013-04:00

My favorite new show is The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green. Sure, I've only seen one episode, but I watch clips on the website (including the goat cam) and I follow them on Twitter. I just love the idea of The Boys moving to the country and starting a farm, because after all, that's my dream.

Live TV : UstreaI wasn't able to have a garden this year, way too busy. Not sure if I will be able to have one at the house next year anyway, it's very shady, not enough light for growing veggies. Lucky for me, one of my colleagues brought in a care package of giant zucchini and heirloom tomatoes. Ever since I went all gluten-free/all-the-time, I just stopped baking, so zucchini bread wasn't an option for the monster zukenites. I scoured the 'net and found websites for carving zucchini or drying them out to build a shed. I did find one site where shredded zucchini was a substitute for pasta (how gluten-free can you get?), and my soon-to-be gentlewoman farmer, Copeland, sent me a link to her "recipe" for zucchini and lavender soup.

But then I saw the Tweet: "A recipe that will make you happy you have all of that excess zucchini." I was sold on zucchini pasta. Of course, I had to make it my way (read: with ingredients found around the house). Again, no measurements, but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you should expect that from me by now. I shredded two giant zucchini, but only used enough to make myself lunch. I have enough to make a couple of more meals, with variations on toppings. You can adjust your own amounts according to how many you are cooking for, or if this is a main meal or side dish.

Zucchini ribbons with white beans and tomatoes
Monster zucchini
Olive oil
Garlic
Dried (or fresh) Italian herbs
Several whole tomatoes, chopped
Canned white beans, rinsed and drained
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, as needed

Wash, then peel the zucchini into long strips until you reach the core with seeds. At the Beekman farm, they feed the leftovers to the pigs. My chickens back in Oregon would have gone nuts over the cores. These are going in the composter*.

Add olive oil to a large, heated pan, then add dried herbs and garlic. Stir in zucchini strips, and keep stirring until almost cooked (more translucent than raw), then add the chopped tomatoes and white beans. Cook a few more minutes and you're done. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and more herbs. I didn't add salt, as the parmesan is salty enough for me.

You can see how the sky's the limit with how you garnish the strips, adding tomato sauce or even pesto. I wish I had some fresh basil—how yum would that be with the heirloom tomatoes? Super yum. I just ate a heaping helping for lunch and don't have that post-pasta coma feeling. I'm going to be a little sad when monster zucchinis are no longer available!

ORIGINAL RECIPES:
What to do with a Giant Zucchini from Pixel remix: the Ann-alog
Zucchini Ribbons by Angela Rae Berg, from Beekman1802.com
More zucchini fun, via http://bigzucchini.com/

* Yes, I have a composter without a garden. What else does one do with kitchen scraps?

Cucumber salad with heirloom tomatoes

2010-08-14T12:27:00.002-04:00

Olive oil, apple cider vinegar and dill dressing.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Lentils in korma simmer sauce

2010-07-28T20:44:00.015-04:00

In case, you haven't noticed my total crush on Seeds of Change organic Indian simmer sauces, I've decided to post another quick and easy dinner idea. I cooked a half cup of lentils until almost done, then added a jar of korma simmer sauce. If you're not familiar with korma, it's a super creamy, super mild, totally decadent curry made with coconut milk. I made the lentils for lunch tomorrow, will serve it on a bed of greens, maybe kale or spinach.

Cheesy beefy mac

2010-07-21T20:51:00.005-04:00

I needed to go to the store after work and pick up some groceries. Instead, I scoured the pantry and 'fridge and threw together this "everything but the kitchen sink" dinner.

Ingredients:
• One bag of rice elbow macaroni
• Half a bag frozen, chopped onions
• One pound of grass-fed ground beef (hidden in the back of the freezer, behind the frozen onions)
• Homemade cheese, with Italian spices and pepper-crusted (grass-fed, organic milk)
• Fresly grated Parmesan
• One cup of spaghetti sauce (Newman's Own Sockerooni)

Sauté beef and onions. Cook noodles until al dente. Splash and smear oil into casserole dish so nothing sticks. Drain meat/onions, add to casserole dish. Drain pasta, add to casserole dish, stir. Stir in crumbled cheese, sauce, top with Parmesan, put in pre-heated oven (350°) until heated all the way through and cheese melts.

Sure, I probably needed to make a bechamel to add to the mix, but this was improv. You don't think I would plan a meal like this on a hot, humid, summer night, do you?

Serve with green salad, have leftovers for lunch. And dinner. And maybe lunch again. Yum.

Echinacea

2010-06-20T13:33:00.003-04:00

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Father's Day

2010-06-20T12:10:00.004-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of Father's Day, in the same way I'm not a fan of Mother's Day. Picking one day out of the year to buy cards and gifts to honor people who should be celebrated every day...it's like Valentine's Day. Meh. Show your loved ones you care everyday. It's less expensive than a cheesy card or another goofy tie.

A couple of essays really struck me this morning, so I thought I'd share. Also an article by Tara Parker-Hope on stressed out dads.

• For Father's Day 2010: as seen on IMAGINE PEACE, a letter from Yoko Ono.
• New York Times columnist, Nick Kristof's essay to his father, My Father's Gift to Me.
• Balancing work and family life...it's not just for mom's anymore. Now Dad Feels as Stressed as Mom.

President's Cancer Panel Report

2010-05-07T19:37:00.002-04:00

“Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety,” the report says. It adds: “Many known or suspected carcinogens are completely unregulated.”

As seen in the New York Times, the President's Cancer Panel has released a 200-page report for 2008-2009 on how we can reduce our environmental cancer risk. Included are industrial, agricultural, water contamination, and electromagnetic and radiation exposures.

Please take the time to download the PDF and read the report. Included are risks regarding the use of plastics, chemical exposures during pregnancy, and non-organic foods. Forty-one percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. That's almost HALF of all Americans. If that's not alarming, than I don't know what is.

Here is a brief overview of recommendations made in the report:

• Particularly when pregnant and when children are small, choose foods, toys and garden products with fewer endocrine disruptors or other toxins. (Information about products is at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com or www.healthystuff.org.)
• For those whose jobs may expose them to chemicals, remove shoes when entering the house and wash work clothes separately from the rest of the laundry.
• Filter drinking water.
• Store water in glass or stainless steel containers, or in plastics that don’t contain BPA or phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics). Microwave food in ceramic or glass containers.
• Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones. Avoid meats that are cooked well-done.
• Check radon levels in your home. Radon is a natural source of radiation linked to cancer.

Would love to hear your opinions. Questions? Comments?

Homemade

2010-05-05T20:53:00.014-04:00

Adventures in Indiana: Farm fieldtrip with goats and bees

2010-05-02T18:31:00.007-04:00

I am not a big fan of goat cheese. For a brief moment when living in New York, I switched from cow dairy to goat, buying milk at the Union Square Farmers Market. I never really noticed a difference between the two, not being a huge milk drinker. Goat milk was just fine as a medium in which my cereal sat before I ate it. That is, until someone I worked with mentioned that goat products reminded him of sucking on a wet, wool sweater. From that moment on, all I tasted when I ate anything goat was soggy cashmere.

The other day, I was offered some homemade goat cheese that a friend's mother made. I wanted to try it and see if fresh-from-the-farm cheese was any different from the store bought variety that tasted like not-so-fresh farm animal. The cheese was surprisingly subtle, almost like ricotta, with out any detectable goat taste. It was delicious.

Today I took a field trip to the farm and learned how to make cheese. We started the day by sampling several different flavors, so we would know which we wanted to make. Our choices included Marjoram & Cracked Pepper, Basil, and Asian Spice with Ginger. They were all delicious, but the Marjoram & Cracked Pepper was really good.

Next we learned to milk the goats. We filled a bucket and headed in to make cheese. I decided to make dill flavored, thinking it would be delicious on a gluten-free bagel or stuffed in a chicken breast. When we were done, we were gifted 4 quarts of goat milk and I headed to the store to pick up some cheesemaking supplies (enamel stock pot, thermometer, cheesecloth, lemons). Later this week I will experiment in my own kitchen with making cheese!

The goats were adorable, and very curious.

Me and the master beekeeper.

Bees!

Super easy, gluten-free oats granola

2010-04-26T20:38:00.010-04:00

Many of my fondest memories living in New York revolve around food. Whether it's steak at the Strip House, artichoke pizza at Three of Cups, or caviar and blini at Pravda, my recall can be so vivid, I can still taste these gustatory delights. Breakfast, or should I say le petit dejeuner, at Balthazar will always be one of my favorites. So simple, yet so delicious, a bowl of plain yogurt with fresh mixed fruit and the best dang granola ever. It was about more than just the granola; I loved the atmosphere, early morning Soho, lingering over what seemed like an endless supply of coffee, reading the Sunday New York Times. The restaurant wasn't that busy at that time of morning, no long wait or reservations required.

I have been looking for a granola recipe for a few months now. It's next to impossible for me to find one that is just right, the perfect amount of coconut, the right kind of nuts, no dried fruit to pick out (we won't go there in this blog), and most important of all, gluten-free. Now, I could easily buy one of the gf brands available at the local co-op, but they don't always have oats (there is a huge debate still over the gluten in oats and whether or not it's okay for someone avoiding gluten), often have dried fruit (which I have to pick out) and well, I'm still searching for that granola that reminds me of the perfection at Balthazar. I haven't had the Balthazar granola in over a decade and really couldn't tell you what was in it, but this recipe is dedicated to my early mornings spent in that New York bistro.

Fortunately, I am a gluten-sensitive person who isn't bothered by oats. First, I had to find a recipe to follow, as I had no clue where to begin. I bought the ingredients before I found a recipe, kind of backwards on that one, huh?

Preheat oven to 250°

3 cups gluten-free rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup whole raw almonds
1 cup raw cashews
2/3 cup shredded coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
honey
maple syrup
grapeseed oil

Combine oats, almonds, cashews, coconut, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Sprinkle sea salt over the mixture. In a measuring cup, pour in vanilla and approximately 1/4 cup each of honey, maple syrup, and grapeseed (or other similar) oil. Stir well, then drizzle over dried mixture. Combine well (use hands!!!), add more honey or maple syrup until appropriate stickiness has been achieved. Spread into well greased baking sheets (or use parchment paper). Bake at 250° for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool, store in airtight bags or jar. Serve over fresh, seasonal fruit and organic, plain yogurt. You can even stir in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds for extra nuttiness and nutrients.

Feel free to add what you like to the recipe, including dried fruit or other types of nuts. Make it your own. Next time I'll add some brazil nuts, larger flaked coconut, and more stickiness so I can have bigger clumps of granola to munch on. If anyone wants to go to Balthazar and remind me of what is in their recipe, please feel free to do so. Don't forget to bring the Sunday Times.

Featured Artist: Jack Skuller

2010-04-25T08:48:00.003-04:00

Happy Sunday! Enjoy...

Join the Revolution!

2010-04-17T19:41:00.007-04:00

I am completely obsessed with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and his campaign for healthy eating. He is trying to change the way America eats, one person, one school, one town at a time. The message is simple: eat fresh, homemade, non-processed food. In other words, get back in the kitchen and cook! If you haven't seen the show yet, it shows Friday nights on ABC. Past episodes are available to watch on Hulu, so you have plenty of time to catch up before next Friday.

Sign Jamie's petition to improve school food, which will help children learn better eating habits, focus better in school (without all that added sugar and preservatives to mess with their growing brains), and have healthier futures. I think an important part of this whole program is to teach kids what is healthy and how to make good choices when it comes to food. If kids knew that processed, chemical, sugar, and fat-laden foods weren't good for them, they wouldn't eat them. Parents can start at home, teaching their children about fresh foods and how to cook simple meals. Grow a garden in the backyard or even in a window box. Learn where food comes from and what it looks like in its natural state.

Here's a clip of 5 Things You Need to Know about The Food Revolution.

Wheat-free, corn-free, peanut butter dog treat

2010-04-04T09:30:00.004-04:00

With yogurt frosting. From the From Scratch Pet Bakery, Goshen, IN. www.fromscratchpetbakery.com

Green and clean

2010-04-03T14:32:00.003-04:00

While catching up on my blog reading, I came across these tips from EWG (Environmental Working Group). Time to spring clean!

Green, spring cleaning What's the point of cleaning the house if the cleaning product is more dangerous than the dirt and the dust? more >>

Seven ingredients to avoid Not all of the cleaners you find in the store have their ingredients listed on the bottle. You may have to do a bit of detective work, but once you know what's inside, here's a list of things to look out for. more >>

Spring clean your body! Start from the outside, by tossing out those harsh and possibly toxic soaps and shampoos. more >>

Go Green, Indiana!

2010-03-24T21:09:00.004-04:00

Here I go, slacking on my posts again. It's been over a month since my last entry, so I'm borrowing from the INANP (Indiana Association of Naturopathic Physicians) website some info I compiled on living green and sustainable in Indiana.

1. Earth Eats a weekly podcast, public radio program and blog based in Bloomington, Indiana that features news and recipes inspired by local food and sustainable agriculture

2. Indiana Living Green an online magazine that is a fount of information, including calendars of events and farmer's markets and lists of CSAs (community supported agriculture) and local food resources.

3. Going Local includes guides to local farms and seasonal eating, food festivals, CSAs, and delicious, easy (and healthy) recipes.

4. Sustainable Indiana 2016 a Wiki that anyone can edit, listing green and sustainable businesses, job opportunities, and ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

5. Indiana Department of Environmental Management , since 1986, IDEM provides environmental oversight and technical assistance in communities and throughout the state

6. Michiana Green Pages a directory of socially and environmentally responsible efforts in the area that provide green products and services, and resources for community building, recreation, health, and healthy eating.

Don't forget Earth Day is just one month away!

Chickpeas in Jalfrezi simmer sauce

2010-02-23T20:26:00.000-05:00

Posted this yesterday while cooking dinner. Whole thing was made in the time it to cook the rice, which is perfect for those of us just who work long days and need a healthy dinner FAST. The Seeds of Change simmer sauce is organic and so delicious; I can't wait to go back and try more flavors. Garbanzo beans are full of soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar. They have a nice amount of protein when served with brown rice and a decent amount of molybdenum, a trace mineral that helps your body process nasty sulfites that are found in processed foods and wine. Garbanzo beans, or chick peas, are also a good source non-animal source of iron.

So tired and hungry when I got home from work. Reached into pantry and grabbed brown rice, a can of garbanzo beans, a jar of Seeds of Change simmer sauce, an onion. In the fridge I found some organic mushrooms and fresh baby spinach. Prepared one cup of brown rice. While rice cooked, chopped 1/2 onion, sliced mushrooms, and sauteed them in large pan with olive oil. Rinsed can of beans, added to pan with several handfuls of spinach. Simmered some more. Added jalfrezi curry sauce (with red peppers and coconut).

So, now all of that is simmering while the rice finishes cooking. Smells amazing and looks like I'll even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Okay, just tasted it and dang, that's good stuff.

Quick, easy, healthy. Thank you. Time to eat. Good night.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Slow Cooking: Lentil Soup

2010-01-10T14:23:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I picked up some beef bones at the Farmer's Market (grass-fed from a local Amish farm). I was hoping to give one or two to the dog as treats, but they were way too small with sharp edges. I piled them into my slow cooker and made some mineral-rich bone broth. When talking to my mother the other day, she suggested I make lentil soup, so I scoured the internet looking for a slow cooker recipe. Not only was this recipe super easy, I had all of the ingredients in my kitchen. Super convenient.

Lentil Soup
Adapted from ABC's Slow-Cooker Recipe Finalist, Mary Sperling of Newberg, Ore.

Ingredients:

• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 6 cups beef broth, 2 cups water (you can do all water, all broth, veggie broth, etc.)
• 2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf (because I love bay leaves in lentil soup!)

Directions Put all of these ingredients in the slow cooker. Set it on low if you are leaving it all day, high if you are starting it around lunchtime. I started around 2pm so I set it on high figuring I'd eat around 8pm.

10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, add:
• 1 ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped

Variations to add:
• cubed potatoes at the beginning of cooking.
• one 14 ½ ounce can of diced tomatoes at the beginning of cooking.

I forgot to add the balsamic vinegar and the kale, so each morning when I prepared my lunch for the day I drizzled a bit of vinegar and added a frozen veggie. One day it was broccoli, the next it was spinach; I tried to mix it up, keep it interesting and nutritious.

I also discovered crockpot365's Stephanie O'Dea on Good Morning America! Click here for her recipes featured on GMA.

Mammogram 01/07/10

2010-01-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

I don't typically get on my soapbox here at holisticanaturopathic. There are so many sites that do just that; I prefer to keep things light with the occasional recipe, recycling tip, medical-related news or link. But something has been happening on Facebook that has caught my attention, but not for the reason intended.

A meme has been going around encouraging women to post their bra color as their status update, all in the name of breast cancer awareness. Even before I found this article, I thought the whole thing was a bit odd, somewhat voyeuristic, and unsure how bra color posting would make anyone more knowledgeable about breast cancer. One thing the Facebook meme did do was make me incredibly aware that I am in dire need of new support undergarments. But as far as activism? Education? Not so much.

I decided to start my own meme. It's off to a very slow start, perhaps because I only sent it to a few friends, maybe because it's REALLY kind of a personal thing, or folks are getting sick and tired of Facebook memes. Here goes: post as your status update the date of your last mammogram, self breast exam (SBE), or clinical breast exam (CBE). Easy enough, right? What? You don't remember the last time you did a self breast exam? When is the best time to do one? Haven't had a CBE in how many years? Maybe you're not quite old enough to get a mammogram, or maybe you are...wait...what IS the age to start screening?

See? Made you think. Or at least do a Google search. You notice your friend got a mammo two days ago (that friend would be me, thank you very much) or did a SBE last Tuesday. So you make an appointment with your doctor or check your breasts in the shower.

These are the American Cancer Society's current guidelines for screening:

Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.
Clinical breast exam (CBE) should be part of a periodic health exam, about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over.
Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
Women at high risk (greater than 20% lifetime risk) should get an MRI and a mammogram every year. Women at moderately increased risk (15% to 20% lifetime risk) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram. Yearly MRI screening is not recommended for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15%.

The newest meme encourages women to breastfeed because breastfeeding and being breastfed reduces breast cancer risk. I'm in a bit of a pickle because I was mostly bottle fed and chances are I won't be breastfeeding any time soon. And I have old bras.

Now, where is that Victoria's Secret catalog?

More info from komen.org:
Self breast exam
Clinical breast exam
Early detection and screening

Slow cookerama

2010-01-02T21:55:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to plan ahead and make lunch/dinner for the upcoming week. Working long days doesn't leave much energy to come home and prepare a healthy meal and, although it is very affordable, the cafeteria at work doesn't offer much when it comes to gluten-free.

I checked in with one of my favorite blogs, crockpot365.blogspot.com, and learned how to cook up some beans in my slow cooker. I took half a bag of dried pinto and half a bag of black beans, rinsed them in a colander, drained them, then poured them into the slow cooker. I then added one large, crushed clove of garlic and covered the beans with filtered water (plus two inches, as instructed). I added the garlic because I remember my mom telling me that garlic reduces the gas from the beans. I crushed it because crushing, chopping, or mincing actually activates the properties of the garlic. They soaked overnight, this morning I rinsed them and returned them to the slow cooker to cook on low for about 6 hours. I had a small helping for lunch, with some salsa, grated cheese and cilantro. Will need to make some rice tonight so I can have bean and rice bowls for lunch this week.

When the beans were almost done, I referred to crockpot365 for a chicken and dumplings recipe. The best (and only) chicken and dumplings I've ever had were at Tad's in Troutdale, Oregon. Those dumplings were so huge...they were painfully delicious. Literally. Glutaginous balls of death. I will be using Bob's Red Mill gluten-free biscuit mix, so my version should be a bit more intestine friendly.

My favorite part of using a slow cooker is throwing frozen ingredients into the crock, no thawing necessary, step away, and let it do it's thing. I inherited another, larger slow cooker (I actually think this one is an official crockpot), so I took it off the shelf, grabbed some open packages of frozen peas and green beans, chopped an onion, and added boneless chicken breasts all into the crock. Covered with two cans of gluten-free, organic cream of chicken soup, turned the slow cooker on high and in four hours will drop in globs of gluten-free biscuit dough. One more hour of cooking and, fingers crossed, I hope to have a scrumptious, stick-to-your-ribs dinner of comfort food! Perfect for a snowy, 4° winter day (and lunch this week!).

(I just added some rosemary to the crockpot, along with the biscuit dough. Felt like it was missing something. Almost done, picture to come!)

Migas

2010-01-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe I've been blogging here since July 2007 and have yet to post anything about one of my favorite quick breakfast recipes. I first had migas in Santa Fe. Don't remember the name of the restaurant, but they truly were delicious. But where I had them doesn't really matter because they are so easy to make, you, too, can enjoy the yumminess of this Tex-Mex breakfast delight. I mostly love this recipe because it's perfect for using up those stale chips that are sitting in the cupboard. It's great the day after a party, perfect for New Year's Day.

The ingredients are simple: olive oil, salsa, eggs, corn tortilla chips, grated cheese and cilantro for garnish.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, not too hot as you don't want it to smoke. Add in a cup or so of salsa per person. Let the salsa cook long enough to burn off the excess liquid.
Scramble 3 eggs per person then add crumbled tortilla chips to the egg batter. Pour into frying pan and stir while cooking egg/salsa mixture.
Serve immediately, garnished with grated cheese and cilantro.

New Year

2009-12-31T06:45:00.000-05:00

Figured I'd squeeze in one last post before 2010. This has been a year of change, too many to write about 15 minutes before I leave for work. But it's been a wonderful year and I cherish the experiences and lessons learned.

Yesterday, I shadowed one of the doctors who was working with a cancer patient who was barely out of their teens. I then learned of the passing of another patient, one I had met with briefly earlier this month. I looked in my notebook and saw the treatment plan ideas we had for him at our next meeting, which was to be the first Tuesday of the new year. I erased his initials that were penciled in my calendar.

This morning I got out of bed after lingering a half hour more in my super soft fleece sheets, played with the dog in the freshly fallen snow, laughed as I built a snowman in the front yard at 5AM, then slowly savored a cup of coffee while checking email.

You know what I'm saying. Linger. Play. Laugh. Savor life.

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy New Year.

Welcome 2010

2009-12-11T06:25:00.000-05:00

Gluten Free Sensations

2009-11-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Driving south from Grand Rapids at the crack of dawn, I noticed a sign on the side of the road: "Gluten Free Sensations." When I finally had access to the internet, I Googled the name and discovered a line of g-f products found mostly in Michigan, though some stores in Indiana and Wisconsin carry them as well. Made with bean, sorghum, rice, and corn flours, Gluten Free Sensations features pancake, waffle, and cookie mixes, cream of brown rice hot cereal and also a variety of gluten-free granolas. Shipping is available if you don't happen to live near any of the locations that are listed on the website.

For more information, as well as a list of stores, go to their website at www.glutenfreesensations.com.

Do you know a good source for gluten-free products in the Michiana area? Please share!

Surfing the 'net

2009-11-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

• How Ginger Soothes Muscles, Fights Cramps Some of the many uses of ginger, from Health.com (as seen in the latest issue of Health magazine). I always travel with candied ginger to ease the nausea from motion sickness, and adding a slice or two to a tea of lemon, honey, and cayenne is a warming way to relieve the cough and chill of colds and flus.

• Exploring a Low-Acid Diet for Bone Health (from the New York Times) Not that we need another reason to eat our veggies. Low-acid diets high in fruits and vegetables may be more beneficial for bone health than one high in dairy and meat. Be sure to also read about the best exercises for healthy bones.

• Thinking About Diabetes With Every Bite An insightful blog entry about living with diabetes. From the New York Times.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and if you're anything like me you've already planned your holiday menu, ordered your turkey, and getting super crafty with the place settings. Last year I made a wheat-free dinner, using spelt breadcrumbs from New Seasons for stuffing and a gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake that was the hit of the night. It's so good, well, even my friend who doesn't like pumpkin pie raved about the cheesecake. This recipe isn't my own original, I found it on allrecipes.com, just used Trader Joe's Gluten-free Ginger Snaps instead of regular. Easy peasy.

For those of you in the Portland area who are looking for a more traditional gluten-free pumpkin pie, go to New Cascadia Bakery on SE 6th and Market. Their pumpkin tart is absolutely delish, with a flaky I-can't-believe-it's-not-gluten-laden crust. Not sure if you can special order pies for Thanksgiving, but give them a call and ask. Don't forget to pick up some crusty bread for gf stuffing!

GF Pumpkin Marbled Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F°

* 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies - Trader Joe’s Gluten-free
* 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
* 1/3 cup butter, melted

* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan, going up the sides about 1". Bake 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set it aside to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.

3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.

4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marbled-Pumpkin-Cheesecake/
New Cascadia Bakery

November First Friday Wellness at Holistica

2009-11-03T19:38:00.000-05:00

It's time for First Friday Wellness at Holistica Healthcare! Not only will we be featuring our now-famous mini-massages with Dr. Anya Chang (be one of the lucky ones to get an appointment!), but our featured artist this month is...me! That's right, I've decided to show a collection of my drawings from way back in the art school days (that's the '80s, folks) to just a few months ago. I mean, I run the clinic/gallery space, why not show off my own work? All of the drawings are figure studies in charcoal, conté crayon, and pencil.

Stop on by the clinic this Friday, November 6th from 6 - 9:30PM!

ChefMD: John La Puma, MD

2009-10-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

I just came across the website of Dr. John La Puma, also known as ChefMD. He is an internal medicine physician and a professionally trained chef who has a weekly show on Lifetime TV. He also has written a cookbook called ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine and has a comprehensive website featuring healthy recipes for the most common health conditions. Here is an excerpt from the website:

Use a full fat salad dressing, not a low-fat/no-fat dressing. A bit of healthy fat (avocado, walnuts, almonds, olives) in your salad lets you absorb 7 times more lutein than with a no or low-fat dressing. Lutein helps to prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over age 65.
Buy organic when it really matters: when the skin is thin. Over 80% of apples, pears, peaches, potatoes and berries sampled contain artificial chemical pesticides. On the thick side, less than 8 percent of avocados, mangos, pineapples and frozen sweet corn contain them—and onions contain none! Exposure to pesticides worsens asthma and damages the immune system.
Drink coffee and be happy, as long as you're drinking filtered coffee. Two cups of filtered coffee daily can reduce colon cancer by 25%, diabetes risk by 30%, gallstone risk by 40%, and liver cirrhosis risk by 80%. But espresso and French Press can raise your LDL cholesterol by 8% in a month, because the coffee's chemical cafestol stays inside.

I love a doc who touts the benefits of eating fat and drinking coffee! Check out his gluten-free quiz to see if you have symptoms that may warrant further testing for celiac disease, or just if you should avoid gluten. Reading the recipes on the site, I'm hoping he opens a chain of restaurants!

www.drjohnlapuma.com/
Gluten-free quiz

Ginger Snap Pear Tartin

2009-10-06T11:35:00.000-04:00

There are pears galore in my backyard. Still picking them daily and letting them ripe off the tree, collecting untarnished fruit from the ground before the chickens dig in. Like apples, pears are members of the rose family and are a great source of Vitamin C (maybe this is why they are in season at the beginning of Fall—cold and flu season!) They are also full of fiber, which can lower cholesterol, protect against some cancers, and support good colon health. I've been enjoying pears with slices of cheese and in salads, but I've really wanted to make a quick and easy dessert with these fabulous Fall fruit.

Last Sunday I made a lovely gluten-y pear tartin for a friend. I drizzled it with a concoction of sliced almonds, sugar, butter, and sweetened condensed milk that was positively decadent. I'm now inspired to try this g-f version, rehashing my fav crust (from the Thanksgiving g-f cheesecake recipe):

Crushed gluten-free ginger snaps, pecans, butter, mix well and press into tart pan. Peel and slice pears, drizzle with lemon juice, cinnamon, dash of sweetener of choice (sugar/maple syrup/honey), arrange on crust in pan. Bake at 325-350° for...long enough to not burn the crust or pears. Melt butter and sugar in saucepan, stir in sweetened condensed milk. Add nuts (let's add pecans to match the crust), keep stirring, then drizzle on baked tart.

Okay, that's a rough draft. Sounds yum, right? Will work on the final version with guesstimated measurements and get back to you.

What's your favorite way to enjoy pears?

Featured Artist: Cari Carter at Motokitty

2009-09-27T13:36:00.000-04:00

Cari Carter is the craft queen. I don't even know where to begin when talking about all of her clever, quirky wearable creations. The naugahyde messenger bags? Or maybe the sparkly Pocket Protectors that keep your money, ID, and keys fashionably in one place. Then there are the colorful earrings made with feathers and the silhouette necklaces...

And this is just a partial list of what she makes. Her store in SE Portland, Motokitty, features not only her work, but that of other Portland, Oregon artisans. She shares the space with Modified, a custom commercial screenprint shop that not only sells their wares at the Division Street shop, but at various other venues in the Portland area.

You can also get custom work from Miss Carter, as has been shown on my blog (the Holistica Teabag Tote!). She even customized a Snuggie for the Lady Arm Wrestling competition/benefit earlier this year.

Is there anything she can't do?

www.motokitty.net
Follow her on Twitter to find out about sales and special offers twitter.com/motokittypdx
Read the Motokitty blog motokitty.wordpress.com/

One more thing...

2009-09-25T16:57:00.001-04:00

How can I forget to mention the Grand Opening of the new NCNM Clinic in southwest Portland, Oregon, the largest naturopathic clinic in the Portland area. It's also the teaching clinic where I have been completing my residency. I was at the ceremony this morning where speeches were made by Mayor Sam Adams and Senator Monnes Anderson as well as NCNM President David Schleich, board member Nancy Garbett, the woman who makes everything at the clinic run just right, Dr. Jill Stanard (seen at the podium in the picture above).

The main teaching clinic provides low cost health care, preventive naturopathic and integrative care. There are also satellite teaching clinics for even lower cost care for the members of various Portland communities.

For more information, check out the NCNM Clinics' website at www.ncnm.edu.

Naturopathic Doctors in the Press

2009-09-25T16:28:00.000-04:00

My fellow NDs from the NCNM Class of 2007 are making news all across the country! First, Dr. Karen Peters in Albany, CA, discussed flu prevention, then last night I saw Dr. Jesse Buttler who practices in Milwaukee, OR, on KGW Channel 8 news talking about cleanses and fasts. Now it's Dr. Sean Heerey from New York City, talking about the role of alternative medicine in the current healthcare crisis.

And I can't possibly mention Sean without talking about his wife (and my friend) Christina Heerey. She runs the New York Dog Training School and has a great technique for training dogs and owners alike.

Can't wait to find more press on my classmates and friends!

East Bay Naturopathic Clinic
Northwest Natural medicine
Sean E. Heerey, N.D.

Surfin' the 'net

2009-09-23T12:39:00.000-04:00

Naturopath bridges gap in treatment, prevention Great advice on flu prevention from Dr. Karen Peters, a naturopathic doctor in the Bay Area.

Egg Money the Modern Way An article on how "Unhipster" is the new hip. A simpler way of life is celebrated in this store on Etsy (unhipster: gear for the rurally inclined).

Gluten-Free: Is it for me? A guide to gluten-free on Oprah.com, by Daphne Oz, the daughter of Dr. Mehmet Oz. (via Twitter)

Doctor as Patient

2009-09-16T13:08:00.000-04:00

I fell into a hole. Literally. A three foot hole, to be exact.

After a visit to urgent care to rule out any broken bones (although hairline fractures may not show up on x-ray until they start to mend), my body has started to repair itself. Slowly. What is strange about the healing process is how the pain changes. Initially, I felt numbness and pain over my right hip (diagnosed as meralgia paresthetica). The numbness has been fading, the pains changing from dull and achy to burning. The back pain won't allow me to stay in one position for too long, can't get comfortable sitting, standing, or sleeping. I have bruises on bony areas that are super tender to touch; seatbelts and low waistbands aggravate. Visits to the chiropractor have been invaluable, for a few moments I feel relief, then the pain returns. My mind was foggy for a few days, most likely due to a contrecoup concussion according to my chiropractor. Sigh.

How does a doctor manage as a patient? Minutes after my accident, I took Arnica 200c. I believe my bruising would have been much worse had I not taken that homeopathic remedy. Amy, the MD at urgent care was pretty confident in my compliance with her treatment plan: rest, ice, antiinflammatories. Rest has been challenging. When I work at the school's clinics I take things slow, but it's hard to stay still, I'm constantly standing up, shuffling about. Because of this restlessness, I am unable to take new patients in my private practice at the moment. I have been managing established patients over the phone for now. I ice my back during those moments I can sit still, mostly at home after hot showers or when I decompress after working. Instead of ibuprofen, I am taking a natural antiinflammatory product containing proteolytic enzymes, botanical and homeopathic remedies. I wasn't sure if it was working so I didn't take it one day and realized, yes, it's definitely working. I apply Inflamyar, a homeopathic cream for musculoskeletal problems, to my back, hip, shin...even to the site I received my tetanus shot (those things hurt!). My chiropractor kinesiotaped my hip to reduce the swelling. I've reduced my coffee intake considerably and am currently cooking up a pot of bone broth/Biehler's broth with a lot of turmeric (another antiinflammatory). I treated my scrapes with Minor Surgery tincture, a fabulous topical product containing echinacea, goldenseal, and calendula succus.

The pain is changing and is worse at times. This burning sensation is new and indicative of nerve involvement. When I start to worry, I think of this quote by poet Khalil Gibran:

"Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.
Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility:
For his hand, though heavy and hard, is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,
And the cup he brings, though it burn your lips, has been fashioned of the clay which the Potter has moistened with His own sacred tears."

I not only need to listen to my doctors, I need to trust the physician within.

Featured Artist: Lisa Warninger Photography

2009-08-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

As part of Rock 'n' Wellness*, I plan to feature a different artist, whether photographer, painter, musician, or actor, whose work and talent I admire.

This week's featured artist is photographer Lisa Warninger. Her exquisite eye lends itself perfectly to capturing the ethereal bliss of a bride and groom or the serene wonder of a newborn baby. She also is part of the collaborative team that makes up Urban Weeds, an online chronicle of Portland street style.

Lisa Warninger Photography
Urban Weeds: Street Style from Portland

*Rock ‘n’ Wellness is a project under development to raise money and awareness for artists and performers without access to health care. For more information, click here.

Labor Day Weekend First Friday Wellness

2009-08-25T11:20:00.000-04:00

Join us this coming Labor Day weekend at Holistica Healthcare for our next First Friday Wellness. This September 4th, we will be featuring 10 minute mini- foot reflexology sessions to help you relax and rejuvenate yourself before the holiday weekend. ~~Carissa from Tula Skin Therapy will be joining us to provide you with personalized, holistic skin consultations.~~ There also will be tasty and healthy good-for-your-skin snacks to sample.

Call to reserve your session 503-926-3640. Explore our neighbors at the 811 Design Center Lower Burnside Art Walk, including Recess Wellness, Bombshell Vintage, Redux, Grass Hut, Sword+Fern, Stand Up Comedy, Second Nature, and Holly Stalder.

Classic Summertime Gazpacho

2009-08-13T14:13:00.000-04:00

Gazpacho is super easy, all it takes is some veggies and a blender, so no heating up the kitchen with a hot stove. August is the best month for finding super ripe tomatoes, another reason gazpacho is the perfect summertime meal. The original recipe calls for bits of bread to be added to the soup, I have stopped using it as I try to maintain my wheat-free lifestyle, although I'm sure a nice gluten-free loaf from New Cascadia Traditional Bakery would do quite nicely. Experiment with different types of tomatoes; I sometimes use red peppers instead of green to intensify the color of the soup.

Classic Gazpacho
3 medium tomatoes, skins removed and cut into wedges
2 green peppers, seeded and sliced
1/2 cucumber
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
4 cups water

Add all ingredients except 3 cups of water to blender. Blend, slowly adding the rest of the water. If you like thicker soup use less water or add pieces of Italian bread to the mixture and blend some more.

Serve chilled. Garnish with diced cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and bread.

White Bean Summer Salad

2009-08-06T23:43:00.000-04:00

The inspiration for this summer salad came from the veggies from my backyard garden. My garden has been slow to grow, I'm not sure if it's due to the position in the yard or the late date of my planting. Always looking for something quick and easy to cook after a long work day, I harvested some of the fruits of my labor and came up with this simple, yummy salad.

White Bean Summer Salad
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
1 english long cucumber, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
tomatoes (I used 2 small yellow Taxi tomatoes from the garden and one medium red from the store), chopped into small pieces
handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced

Add all ingredients into a large bowl, mix gently. Season with vinegar (I used balsamic, but red wine would work just fine), extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

I told you it was easy! Hoping more cucumbers appear, was looking forward to canning pickles this year.

The Best Things in Life

2009-08-05T12:24:00.000-04:00

This Friday is Holistica's second First Friday Wellness event. Stop by Holistica Healthcare on August 7th between 6:30 - 9PM for a free mini-massage or foot reflexology session. Appointments filled up fast in July, so call to reserve a spot!

Speaking of free, Amy runs a blog, Around the Sun, dedicated to saving money in the Portland area, including listings of free events! Subscribe to get updates and be sure to check out the links to resources for frugal dining and coupons/discounts!

On the Road Again: Disney Travel Kit for Kids!

2009-06-26T13:19:00.000-04:00

The Alcazar, Cordoba, Spain, June 1974

Some of my fondest memories are of traveling with my family when I was a child. I spent my early years living in Madrid, Spain, and we took many trips in the car, on trains, and even on military planes, exploring the Spanish countryside as well as neighboring European countries. My mom was always super prepared with snacks and activities that would occupy us for hours.

Lunch in the Spanish countryside, 1973. My dad took this photo (self-timer!) and developed it in a makeshift darkroom in our home.

I found this awesome travel kit via RockandRollMama.com, perfect for traveling with the kids this summer. The Disney Travel Kit includes a travel pillow (kid-sized, of course), a copy of Dr. Seuss' There's A Map in My Lap, a travel game, notepad, pen, and a tote bag to keep it all in one place in the plane/train/automobile.

Way cool travel kit. Photo borrowed from RockAndRollMama.com.

Leave a comment on her site and enter for a chance to win one of these kits (a $30 value) for FREE! Also, be sure to check out DisneyFamily.com for tips on traveling with kids. They have ideas for games you can play in the car (other than Punch Buggy...ow!) and "healthy" road trip snacks. I would ixnay the roasted soy nuts or any product labeled "sugar-free," substituting nutritious (not roasted or salted) nuts such as almonds, brazil nuts, or walnuts for the soy nuts, as long as the child is old enough to chew them well. You can also bring nut butters or hummus for dipping carrot sticks, apple slices, or celery. Forgo the sweets for protein snacks, which are important for keeping blood sugar stable and avoiding sugar-crash meltdowns. Artificial sweeteners for kids are not a good thing, either, as they have never been tested on children. Actually, they aren't so good for adults, either (Splenda has been found to alter the efficacy of certain medications and also reduce good intestinal bacteria).

I've compiled some of my favorite products that are perfect for traveling and created a virtual dispensary on the Holistica Healthcare website. Check out my travel-friendly picks at the secure site for H2: On the Road, Again. Contact me for the access code at holisticahealth [at] gmail.com. Additional custom dispensaries for each of the Holistica Healthcare packages are in the works!

Rock 'n' Wellness: Music in the News

2009-06-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Music makes the heart beat faster (or slower). Medical applications of music, from hospital to rehab. From MedlinePlus.

Your favorite songs can motivate you to workout and even fight fatigue. This article from the New York Times explains how to help pick out music for your workout playlist. For the more tech minded athlete, here are more ideas to use music to boost your workout.

As a peer educator in my pre-med days, we used humor and games to teach first year students about issues such as safer sex and substance use. Music Inspires Health promotes education through music and was founded to teach young adults about health topics including smoking prevention, HIV/sexually transmitted infections, nutrition and drug abuse.

First Friday: July 3rd Open House

2009-06-19T15:19:00.000-04:00

Image by Joep de Graaff via Flickr

Been busy planning the next First Friday Holistica Healthcare Open House. Dr. Anya Chang and I will be providing mini-sessions of massage and foot reflexology (respectively). I will be setting up a schedule for folks to sign up in advance, so stay tuned!

What a perfectly relaxing way to wash away stress from the week and start the July 4th holiday weekend!

Full length appointments can be scheduled with Dr. Chang or myself at holisticahealth.clickbook.net.

Holistica Teabag Tote!

2009-06-06T18:11:00.000-04:00

My friend, Lisa, and I met for lunch today. She happens to be a stylin' owner of a Holistica Pill Pocket Protector, made by the crafty Cari Carter at Motokitty. I was brainstorming, thinking of new ways to use the P.P.P. when Lisa took hers from her purse and, lo and behold...she uses it as a Teabag Tote! The small square size is perfect for carrying your favorite teabags around (her fav is Tazo Wild Sweet Orange).

Holistica ~~Pill Pocket Protectors~~ Teabag Totes are available exclusively at Holistica Healthcare.

Surfin' the 'net: Calendar Girls

2009-06-03T05:29:00.000-04:00

Image by Zawezome via Flickr

This goes out to all the ladies out there...

I don't know what I was Googling, but I came across these two entries from Self Magazine. Fun, frivalous, but good advice, nonetheless.

Sex Calendar: Get inspired to get busy! Sleep better, lose weight, fight infections and wrinkles! How? Get frisky!

Self Beauty Calendar 31 Days to a More Gorgeous You. Really simple beauty tips for the woman on the go, from eyebrow tweezing to "Fight a midday work slump by sniffing a sachet..."

Gluten-free Roman (okay, Italian) Holiday

2009-05-30T15:57:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

No, I'm not headed to my dream vacay to Italy (not yet, at least), but I do have a patient who is. Because she has an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (the most common cause of hypothyroidism), I have advised her to stay off of gluten. She reports she feels so much better on the gf diet, but is concerned about an upcoming trip to Italy. Gluten-free in Italy? Impossibile!

Apparently not so impossible. I just did a search on The Google and found quite a few sites on staying gluten-free in Italy. Here are just some of the links I plan to share with her (and you, too!):

Gluten-free Italy Celiac Chicks - The Hip & Healthy Gluten-free Guide
Three Simple Words "Lo sono celiaco" The Original Gluten-free Girl
Celiac Travel Guide has resources including gf restaurant cards in 43 languages. Senza glutine!
A Gluten Free Guide's archive to travel in Italy
Associazione Italiana Celiachia (who knew celiac could sound so sexy?) Click on the little flag for the pages in English.
Gluten-free Travel Site Reviews by fellow gluten-free travellers
Not available in stores, books for the gluten-free traveller.

Rock 'n' Wellness: Sad News

2009-05-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

Jay Bennett via last.fm

Jay Bennett, former member of the alt-country band Wilco, died at age 45. He had struggled with drug addiction in the past and was in severe pain due to chronic knee and hip damage, according to his MySpace page. He was in need of hip replacement surgery and did not have any health insurance. Did lack of health insurance contribute to his death? Gawker.com asked that question.

Lack of insurance is a national problem, not just confined to the music world, but there are countless numbers of people struggling to make it as artists and performers, unable to afford health care. There are options to join unions if they qualify and organizations such as Future of Music Coalition and MusiCares provide resources for musicians who are in need of advocacy, financial, and medical support. The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center is a national database of health care resources for artists, performers, and freelancers.

If anyone has other resources for artists in need of health care, please post a comment!

RESOURCES
Future of Music Coalition
MusiCares
The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians

UPDATE 07/01/09
Last week, an Illinois coroner's office revealed the cause of Jay Bennett's death was an accidental fentanyl overdose. Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate analgesic that is often prescribed for severe and chronic pain that has a high addiction potential. It binds to receptors in the brain to decrease not only the pain, but also the emotional response to pain.

Think Smoothie!

2009-05-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

Image by terriseesthings via Flickr

Smoothies are a delicious, nutritious, quick, and easy addition to a healthy diet. I use coconut milk because I try to avoid dairy and I like the taste (it's very mild). Besides being dairy-free, coconut milk also has medium-chain fatty acids which speed up the body's ability to burn fat. The berries are just full of healthy goodness, including Vitamin C, fiber, and tons of antioxidants, which help repair our cells that become damaged from the stressors of everyday life. Ground flax seeds also contain fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids. It is important to grind the seeds in a coffee grinder prior to adding to the smoothie and always store the seeds in the fridge or freezer to prevent the oils from going rancid. Only grind what you need for the day.

I add fish oil*, another great source of omega-3s which have antiinflammatory effects that are beneficial to the heart, skin, brain, musculoskeletal system...the whole body, in fact. My favorite is Carlson's Lemon Cod Liver Oil which is very high quality, available in many grocery and health food stores, and I don't find it fishy tasting at all. It has a good ratio of Vitamin A to D (which should be less than 10:1 to prevent liver damage, Carlson’s is), but if you have any concerns or don’t need the extra Vitamin D, you can use regular old fish oil. It is far more cost effective to buy liquid fish oil, and a product like Carlson's is versatile enough to add to salad dressings, yogurt, even popcorn. Again, keep it in your refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh (and not fishy).

Some smoothie recipes use sugar to add extra sweetness, but fruit is naturally sweet! If your favorite fruit is not in season, try the frozen version (without the added sugar, please).

SUPER BERRY SMOOTHIE
1/2 can light coconut milk
1 cup frozen berries (if you use fresh, add a few ice cubes to make the smoothie slushy) 
2 TBSP ground flax seeds
 1 TBSP flavored fish oil
 OPTIONAL: one serving of your favorite green or protein powder

Blend ingredients, serve cold.

Toss in slices of peach, nectarines, melon, mango, half a banana or avocado. Be daring and experiment with whatever fruit is in season!

*Vegans can use Udo's Choice instead of fish oil, also found at health food stores.

REFERENCES
More on berries and Omega 3s from Oregon State University
Carlson Laboratories, makers of fine fish oils

Wheat-Free Crumble 2.0

2009-05-24T12:14:00.000-04:00

When looking at my blog traffic, I noticed the Google search that most often brings readers to Holistica Naturopathic is "wheat-free crumble." I posted a recipe way back in 2007 for a wheat-free dessert, and that's my most popular blog entry! I have no clue if anyone is making this crumble, but there are folks all over the globe checking out the recipe.

In the spirit of the holiday weekend, I've decided to repost the recipe (for my new readers who may not be reading the old posts). I did make one with agave, but don't recall the proportions. I'm thinking coconut oil would work well instead of butter, again I don't know the replacement equivalent*, so if you experiment, let me know!

Yummy Wheat-free Berry Crumble

Preheat oven to 325.

Filling (you can use whatever fruit is local and in season!)
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
2 nectarines (or peaches), peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP gluten-free flour
big squeeze of lime juice

Mix filling ingredients gently. Set aside.

Crumble
1c gluten free flour
1/2 c uncooked oatmeal (rolled, not steel cut)
1/2 c packed dark brown sugar (can substitute maple syrup or honey, but I don't know the proportions)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 TBSP butter, chilled & cut in small pieces (can use coconut oil* or any other non-dairy derived margarine)
1/2-1c chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts or pecans) - OPTIONAL

Mix 1st four crumble ingredients, using hands & pastry cutter to incorporate butter. Add chopped nuts, unless you are allergic, of course.

Pour filling into oiled (or buttered) gratin dish. Spread crumble on top. Bake in 325 oven for 30-40 minutes, or until crumble is toasted and berries are hot! Use a baking sheet under the gratin dish while baking, as the berry mixture can bubble over and mess up your oven.

Serve warm. Can top with your favorite ice cream, creme fraiche, or for the lactose intolerant, soy ice cream, rice dream or my personal favorite...Larry & Luna's Coconut Bliss! (Email them requesting their product at a Whole Foods or other natural grocery near you!!!!)

Holistica Newsletter

2009-05-22T11:25:00.000-04:00

Sign up for our mailing list and receive the Holistica Healthcare monthly email newsletter with health tips, clinic news and updates on any clinic or health related events! Either click on this link or fill out the form in the column on the right.

Holistica Merchandise: Pill Pocket Protector

2009-05-15T00:42:00.000-04:00

Introducing the first in the line of Holistica Healthcare products! Created by the über-talented Cari Carter from Motokitty, these mini pouches are perfect for loose change, your driver's license or a couple of homeopathic tubes. Conveniently designed with an attached key chain and handmade from sturdy vinyl (some vintage), no two Pocket Protectors are the same.

Available exclusively at Holistica Healthcare for only $12.00!

Online Appointment Scheduling

2009-05-07T17:01:00.000-04:00

Holistica Healthcare is now set up for online appointment scheduling! Naturopathic medical and reflexology appointments need just 24 hours advance notice, non-life threatening acute care appointments only a two hour lead time (if it is a medical emergency, log off the internet, pick up the phone and dial 911!). Cancellations require 24 hour notification or a fee of 50% of the appointment fee will be charged to the patient.

Clinic paperwork will soon be available to download from the up-and-coming Holistica Healthcare website. Until then, email me and I will send you PDF documents (you will need Adobe Acrobat to read them). Bring the filled out forms to your first appointment!

We are offering discounts during the month of May, in honor of Mother's Day. Mommy's Little Helper is a comprehensive wellness package — a one hour initial intake, three 1/2 hour follow up appointments, one 1/2 hour reflexology session, and a special gift from Holistica Healthcare! First time reflexology sessions (75 minute appointment) are 20% off.

For those with insurance, I am working on several options, will update you shortly.

Holistica Open House

2009-05-02T19:15:00.000-04:00

Wow. Last night's open house was a huge success! The gathering was a wonderful, eclectic mix of people, some friends, some family, some residents from the neighborhood, some strangers off the street. We even had a visit from Portland, Oregon's esteemed mayor, Sam Adams. I must admit I was positively star struck, and if you know me, that isn't typical. I've met my share of celebs and rock stars and some may consider me a bit jaded, but last night, I was positively gushing over our surprise guest.

Leah Sherman, ND and Anya Chang, ND LMT, and Portland Mayor Sam Adams at the Holistica Healthcare open house, May 1, 2009.

It was such a fun evening, Holistica Healthcare will definitely be participating in future First Friday events!

Have I mentioned that Anya Chang, ND, LMT, of True Health Medicine in Tualatin, will be seeing massage patients at the Holistica Healthcare Portland office?

Leah Sherman, ND and Anya Chang, ND LMT outside the Holistica Healthcare office, May 1, 2009.

So, what's a doctor do the day after her clinic's open house? Help out at the Rosa Parks Community Health Fair at the Mt Olivet Baptist Church in North Portland. The church's women's ministry helped organize the fair and students from the National College of Natural Medicine volunteered their time with hearing and vision tests for the kids and blood pressure screenings for the adults. There also was a bike helmet clinic courtesy of Legacy Emanuel, Northwest Medical Team provided services through their dental van, and Multnomah County conducted testing for lead poisoning.

Richard Barrett, ND supervises students conducting vision screening tests on children at the Rosa Parks Community Health Fair, May 2, 2009.

Clinic Update – First Friday Open House

2009-04-29T09:48:00.001-04:00

These are the latest pictures of Holistica Healthcare. This Friday, May 1st, neighboring businesses are participating in the First Friday Central Eastside Arts District walk. I'm having an open house, so if you are in the neighborhood (Lower Burnside), drop on in and say "Hi!"

Holistica Healthcare Open House
Friday, May 1st
6-9 PM
811 East Burnside, Suite 124
(8th between Burnside and Couch, entrance at back of building)

Holistica Healthcare Facebook fan page!

2009-04-08T02:07:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Holistica Healthcare now has a fan page on Facebook! Join now to stay up to date on special news and events.

What events, you ask? Well, as April is National Foot Health Month, we are offering specials on reflexology sessions. Reflexology has been used in conjunction with other treatments in the management of pain and stress and it just feels really good.

If you are interested in making an appointment, call 503-926-3640. Be sure to become a Facebook fan and print out the event page to get your discounted appointment.

Chick & Clinic Update

2009-04-06T01:23:00.001-04:00

Here is a picture of the chicks on the day they arrived, L to R: Munkey, Penguin, and Buttercup.

And here are the chicks today (L to R, Penguin (hidden), Buttercup, Itchy (my roommate's chicken), and Munkey. These birds are growing fast!

Penguin the White Cochin is still the smallest of the bunch. Her feathers are coming in and she looks like she's wearing aprés ski boots.

The clinic space is coming along, as well. This past week, after a couple of trips to Ikea and hours of assembling the purchases, everything started to fall into place. Holistica Healthcare should be up and running in a week or so.

Catching up!

2009-03-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I have several blog posts in the works, but have been catching up on some residency related paperwork and freelance illustrations I'm doing for another physician's book on functional gastroenterology.

A lot has been going on in the world of holistica, not just with the arrival of the chickens, building a coop, and revamping the garden, but a possible clinic space is in the works. Exciting! A second exciting update is my contribution to another Health Magazine story, this one on some of the health benefits of tea. Check it out online, then pick up the April 2009 issue of Health Magazine to see it in print.

If you're just hankering for more regular updates, follow me on Twitter!

What I'm Reading

2009-03-17T12:44:00.000-04:00

From the New York Times online:
Don't speak! Why you shouldn't whisper when you have laryngitis. Best to give your vocal cords a break, avoid talking as much as possible.

Oral Allergy Syndrome: Why pollen allergies can lead to fruit and veggie allergies. Denature the offending proteins by peeling and cooking.

For something green on this St. Patrick's Day, a Provençal soup that is chock full o' greens and nutrients. Leave out the eggs, bread, and/or cheese if you have dietary restrictions, it will still be filling and delish.

From Treehugger.com, plant a garden and save money! Do something good for the wallet and the environment.

Vote and Name the Chick!

2009-03-12T04:03:00.000-04:00

Voting has now started for the Name the Chick contest. Find the poll in the right hand column and select the name you think best suits the Buff Orpington chick. The person who came up with the winning name gets a dozen eggs (once she starts laying!). Thanks for voting!

Chickens, part deux: Name that chick!

2009-03-11T15:49:00.000-04:00

From the top: Penguin, the White Cochin, back and front views; Munkey, the Ameraucana; the yet-to-be-named Buff Orpington.

These are the latest portraits of the chicks. I plan to photograph them every few days because soon they will be full grown and out of that adorable "puppy" stage! I still don't have a name for the Buff Orpington (the yellow chick), so I will hold a contest and...may the best name win!

My Buff Orpington: she is larger than the other birds, so I suspect a few days older. She also is attempting to fly and has a really strong personality. From the Urban Farm Store website, here is a bit about more the Orpington:

Cute, puffy and (sometimes) even cuddly. This breed dates to the late 1800’s in England. The Orpington is becoming the most popular backyard chicken in the States. They are reliable layers of brown eggs. Because of their plumage, they are very cold tolerant. While they tolerate confinement well but will benefit from exercise.

So, comment away! I'm excited to see what names you all come up with!

Chickens!

2009-03-08T00:28:00.000-05:00

Meet Chipmunk, Munkey for short. She's an Ameraucana and a new addition to my household! Today I drove a friend to The Urban Farm Store so she could pick up some chicks and I walked out with a chicken raising "starter kit" and three chicks! There's Munkey, Penguin (she looks like the baby penguin from Happy Feet) the Brahma, and the Buff Orpington that I'm calling Buffy, until I think of a better name.

The chicks will live indoors for a few months and then move outdoors to their soon-to-be-built coop. I will keep posting updates and photos of the chicks, and of the progress of the coop construction. If all goes well, they will start laying in about five months!

And...we're...composting!

2009-02-28T17:15:00.000-05:00

When I moved into the new house last fall, I left my composter (and all the deliciously rich compost and wonderfully wiggly worms) behind. Yesterday, I picked up a new Earth Machine composter from MetroPaint and we just finishing assembling it, adding a bunch of leaves, some starter dirt, and a big jarful of kitchen scraps!

Composting reduces kitchen waste and is an inexpensive way to provide nutrients to your garden. Next on the to-do list: build raised beds for a veggie garden and build a chicken coop!

To Blow or Not to Blow? Cold and Flu tips.

2009-02-25T13:21:00.000-05:00

To blow or not to blow? When sick, it's best to blow your nose one nostril at a time. Otherwise, according to researchers at the University of Virginia, a great amount of pressure builds up and mucus is drawn back up into the sinuses. This may also bring bacteria and viruses up into the sinuses, worsening the infection.

How do you know when to keep a child home from school or daycare? If they have a fever or the child just doesn't feel well enough to participate in school activities, keep 'em home.

When is it wise for you to call in sick? Fitsugar.com lists several reasons to consider calling in because you're illin'.

• In the beginning. The start of a cold is when you are most contagious. When several symptoms start at once and you have that achy-stuffy nose-sore throat-headache kind of feeling, do everyone a favor and stay home. You may even shorten the course of the cold if you actually use that stay-at-home time to rest.
• Fever. You need to let the rise in body temperature battle the bugs. Again, rest, drink fluids, allow your body to fight off that flu.
• If you work in close contact with other people, especially kids or the elderly. Work from home, if you can and cash in on those paid sick days.
• When you are, as I call it, sick with the ick, productive cough, nausea, vomiting, chest or sinus congestion, pain on swallowing. Just...stay...home.

Prevention is key: wash hands...often, avoid people who are sick (not always possible), did I mention wash your hands? If you do get sick, remember to cough into your elbow! Coughing and sneezing into your hand just passes germs on to the next person who touches the doorknob, refrigerator, or computer keyboard.

One of my favorite "prescriptions" during cold and flu season is Onion and Garlic Soup. Onions and garlic have antimicrobial properties that can give your immune system a boost and help ward off viruses. When garlic is crushed it becomes 'active' and releases a compound that is similar to N-acetyl-cysteine, a mucolytic. The New York Times has a recipe for garlic broth. Add a couple of medium onions, cut in quarters (skin intact for an extra dose of quercetin), and cook along with the garlic, then don't strain the broth! Remove onion peels and insections, pour into a blender and mix the ingredients. Sip throughout the day.

Lemon/Ginger/Honey Tea eases sore throats and coughs. In a large mug, place a couple of thin slices of ginger and lemon (about 1/2 a small lemon), and add plenty of hot water. Sweeten with honey to taste (honey is antimicrobial!), shake in a dash or two of cayenne, stir, and sip.

Avoid sugar, dairy, wheat. Taking Probiotics (that friendly bacteria that lives in yogurt, and our gut) is a good immune booster. I suggest a supplement to my patients as eating yogurt (or any other dairy) may contribute to congestion.

P.S. What better way to prevent catching or spreading the flu than to wash your hands with an adorable Giant Microbe!

Backward Prints - Earth friendly notes that bloom!

2009-02-20T00:16:00.000-05:00

Laguna Beach artist Brynne Corgono creates earth-friendly notecards from tree-free paper made of fiber, cotton, and embeds them with wildflower seeds. The cards are then blockprinted with one of her whimsical illustrations. Biodegradable and adorable, and only on Etsy!

Each card comes with planting instructions. Yes, that's right. Plant the card and grow a bouquet of flowers, in your garden or in a flower pot. Say "Thank You" or "Happy Birthday" to that special someone with a card that keeps on giving!

The Little Seed - Tree Hugging with Style

2009-02-02T01:31:00.001-05:00

Through the magic of Twitter, I discovered a wonderful store featuring environmentally friendly products for children. The Little Seed carries furniture, toys, books, and more, all organic or eco-conscious and incredibly stylish. The boutique is located in Los Angeles, but the website allows you to browse through the merchandise and shop online. The wooden toys are gorgeous, the polar bear rocker makes me want to be a kid again, and the soft toys...100% Egyptian cotton veggies? Too cute.

Be sure to check out the blog with essays, photos, and craft ideas, as well as articles to help prepare for a healthy pregnancy and a simple guideline to shopping for toys. There is even a link to become a fan on Facebook!

IMAGE BORROWED WITHOUT PERMISSION http://thelittleseed.com IT WAS JUST SOOOO CUTE.

Surfin' the 'net: What I'm Reading

2009-01-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

Are we too clean? Is there a connection between our obsession with killing germs and the rise in allergies and autoimmune diseases? From the New York Times, Babies Know, A Little Dirt is Good for You.

Chelsea Green: The Politics and Practice of Sustainable Living. Get green living tips by following GreenTweet on Twitter.

Be safe, be seen. By way of Treehugger.com, a New York Times review of the best bike lights.

Paper or plastic? What exactly is meant by "recycled?" Calculate your carbon footprint. Also on Treehugger, a green living primer.

Wear Your Music Guitar String Jewelry, as seen on Skirt.com. Keith, Eric, and Pete's strings seem to be worth the most. Not only are the strings recycled, 100% of the profits go to charities chosen by the artist.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Not so sweet

2009-01-27T12:41:00.000-05:00

Have you seen those obnoxious commercials about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), how it is "all natural" and mocking those who try to say anything bad about it? Well, an overly processed sweetener is not what I consider "all natural." Yesterday at clinic, we were discussing sweetener options, including the new stevia derivative, Truvia. We concluded the closer to nature, the better the sweetener, which pretty much left us with stevia (sweetener made from the whole plant, not just one sweet element of it), honey, and maple syrup.

What is so bad about high fructose corn syrup? There are studies showing that consuming HFCS can turn down leptin, a hormone that acts as one of the body's regulators of satiety (or feeling full). See the above picture? The mouse on the right lacks the gene that makes the hormone leptin. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has implicated HFCS in the obesity epidemic. Now there are claims that the process of manufacturing HFCS contaminates the product with mercury. Gee whiz, I see nothing wrong with any of that!

The Corn Refiners Association has a rebuttal for every claim against HFCS, but the consumers have the final say. Refuse to buy products with high fructose corn syrup.

Here is a spoof of the HFCS commercials by the guys who made the movie King Corn. And just to make your grocery store trip a bit more challenging, Treehugger.com takes a look at the new stevia-derived sweeteners.

The Corn Refiners Association
The Ethicurian
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Make it slow and easy

2009-01-06T22:50:00.000-05:00

Not a stranger to kitchen tools of convenience, I admit to using a microwave on occasion to cook my oatmeal and I openly profess my love for my slow cooker. I'm a busy bee and I need to eat. I'm not the biggest fan of packaged or canned foods, but sometimes in these hectic times our only option is to add canned beans to a recipe or steam frozen veggies instead of running to the store to buy fresh. What could be more convenient than turning on a slow cooker before you leave for work and come home to a fully cooked main course? I used to use my slow cooker just on St. Patrick's Day—it makes the most perfect corned beef, potatoes, and cabbage—but it is truly the best friend of the working gal (or guy).

This is why A Year of Crockpotting is my new favorite website. These recipes are not only delicious and easy, they are gluten-free. Thank you to my Twitter friend, CyndiinBC for introducing me to Stephanie and her crockpots! I made my own pantry's version of Clean Out Your Pantry CrockPot Chili. Two cans of beans, rinsed (black and white kidney), 1/2 can of chopped green chilies, 1 tsp crushed garlic, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1/2 large onion, sauteed, 2 lbs of ground supercow, browned. Combine in slow cooker pot, add water (I used a tomato sauce can-full), spices to taste (Italian seasoning, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper), and go!

What is your favorite slow cooker recipe?

Surfin' the net 2009

2008-12-31T16:41:00.000-05:00

How to make a New Year's resolution? Make BIG changes, act like the person you aspire to be.

High blood sugar leads to cognitive decline. And exercise can help, so move, move, move!

The new yoga? Mindfulness without judgement.

20 Healthy foods under $1 Broccoli, beets, and squash, oh my!

Recycle, reuse: Dish scrub

2008-12-31T14:17:00.000-05:00

Image by hownowdesign via FlickrImageI wish I could remember where first I saw this idea so I could give credit where it is due. A quick and easy way to make a dish scrubber is to take a sponge and slip it into a plastic mesh bag, the type onions come in. Tie the excess into a knot and cut the mesh. Instant dish scrubber!

Watch out Martha, here I come. Oh...I think I got my idea from Martha.

For the advanced DIYer, Girl on the Rocks knitted a dish scrubber. You can check it out here.

Super handy guide

2008-12-31T09:55:00.000-05:00

Cold, winter air brings dry, cracked skin. Luckily for us, The Green Guide has just published their hand and body lotion buying guide. An easy to use resource, it provides information on ingredients to look for and offer other tips to keeping your skin smooth and silky in the winter months. Be sure to click on the tabs explaining the environmental impact of moisturizers as well as the product comparison chart, which shows whether or not the products have been certified as USDA organic, Leaping Bunny certified, or are Dirty-Dozen Free.

Another tip from The Green Guide is to not rely on terms such as fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and cruelty-free. These labels are not defined by the government or by independent third-parties (such as Environmental Working Group or Leaping Bunny) so manufacturers don't need to follow any specific guidelines in order to include these labels on their products.

They also recommend drinking plenty of water, avoiding long, hot showers, and moisturizing after bathing. I would include adding good oils to your diet (and eliminate bad trans fats). Eating olives, walnuts, ground flax seeds, cold water fish such as salmon or sardines, and drizzling extra-virgin olive oil over your favorite foods are all good ways of moisturizing from the inside out!

A favorite and inexpensive trick for smoother feet and hands is applying a thin layer of castor oil to cracked fingers or heels and then putting on a pair of gloves or socks overnight. Take care as castor oil can stain, so have those socks ready to slip on so as not to leave a trail of oily footprints behind.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2008-12-18T12:17:00.001-05:00

Eating wheat- or gluten-free doesn't have to be a challenge. There are plenty of products available, at local and national grocery stores, to help make the transition in your kitchen. Ideally, the breads, cakes, and pastas in the diet get replaced with whole (gluten-free) grains, and fresh fruit and veggies, but how does one satisfy that comfort-food craving? Normally wouldn't recommend baking using mixes but I find gluten-free mixes help my busy patients "make the change."

My usual winter breakfast is oatmeal with walnuts, berries, and ground flax, but this snowy, Portland morning I woke up thinking "pancakes." Fortunately, I had a package of Trader Joe's Gluten-free Pancake and Waffle mix and some leftover pumpkin...pumpkin pancakes! I recommend the Trader Joe's mix to my gluten-free patients because it doesn't have soy or corn and many of them also avoid those two common allergens.

Make your own substitutions as needed. I used milk and butter, but the original recipe calls for water and oil.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes (or Waffles)
Preheat pan or griddle.

1 package Trader Joe's Gluten-free Pancake and Waffle Mix
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
(can instead use equivalent amount of premixed pumpkin spice)
Using a fork, combine dry ingredients in large bowl.

1/2 can pumpkin (half a 15oz can)
2 Tbsp melted butter or oil
2 eggs
Mix together in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and blend well.

Slowly add in
1 - 1 1/4 cup milk (or dairy-free substitute or water)
to ingredients, until good consistency (less liquid for waffles or thicker pancakes).

Prevent sticking to pan by using oil or butter. Pour batter onto pan, you decide on the pancake size! Flip pancakes when the bottoms are golden brown.

I sprinkled pecans onto the batter before I flipped the pancakes. Pecans can also be folded into the entire mix, if desired.

Serve with your favorite pancake topping – maple syrup, honey, butter, jam...enjoy!

Gluten-free Pumpkin Scones

2008-12-14T15:44:00.000-05:00

Although it's hard for me to admit (okay, not so hard), I am a huge fan of Starbucks pumpkin scones, but this whole 'avoid wheat' thing has put a kabosh on indulging. Until now. This morning, waking up to a dusting of snow outside, I was inspired to bake. I grabbed a box of Gluten-Free Pantry Muffin & Scone mix from my shelf, then Googled "pumpkin scones" and found this recipe. I merged the recipe from the mix box with the Googled one (based on what I have in the kitchen) and now the almost finished product is cooling on my stove!

Gluten-free Pumpkin Scones
Preheat oven to 375°

Bag of Muffin & Scone Mix (I used Gluten-Free Pantry)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
(1/4 tsp ginger - I omitted because I don't have any)
1 stick, cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Using pastry knife or fork, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly, without any big chunks of butter.
Combine 1/2 can of pumpkin, 1 egg, and 3 Tbsp of buttermilk in a small bowl, then fold into well mixed dry ingredients.
Form into a ball, gently roll out on floured surface into a 1" thick rectangle. Cut into triangles, then transfer onto greased baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes, until slightly brown.

Cinnamon spice glaze
1 c + 1 tsp powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove (sorry, didn't measure but I did use mostly cinnamon)
Brush onto cooled scones.

Since starting this post, I have eaten two—didn't even wait for the icing to harden! These pumpkin scones are much less dense than their Starbucks inspiration (which actually is a good thing) and they are a wonderful, sweet treat on this blustery, winter day.

The BEST gluten-free cookies

2008-12-13T14:23:00.001-05:00

This past Thursday, a student on my shift brought some homemade gluten-free, chocolate chip cookies that were quite possibly the best I have tasted. I have found the problem with gluten-free baking is the product comes out too crumbly, they aren't chewy and moist. The following recipe uses nut butter and coconut flour, which helps hold the cookie together and keep its chewy goodness intact.

Anna's Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c coconut flour
1/2 c gluten-free flour (she recommended Bob's Red Mill)
1 c nut butter (cashew, almond, etc)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Combine above ingredients and mix well.
Stir in 10 oz chocolate chips and enough oil or water for a 'good consistency,' around 1/2 cup.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350° until just golden. Do NOT overcook!
Cool 2 minutes, then remove from baking sheet with metal spatula, placing on cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe courtesy of Anna Boyd.

Green Gifts that Keep on Giving

2008-12-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

There are some of us who would find a year's membership to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program the perfect holiday gift (hint, hint), but thinking beyond the kitchen can be a challenge when it comes to eco-gift giving.

The Green Guide offers tips on green gift giving. Be sure to explore the How to Go Green links for tips on shopping for gifts such as clothing, high tech gadgets, and toys.

The Daily Muse email from Skirt.com lead me to Global Girlfriend, an online, fair-trade boutique featuring eco-friendly gifts made by women, providing them with economic opportunities they might not have otherwise. Whether it's Thistle Farms Moisturizing Body Balm or a yoga mat bag made from recycled rice bags, artisans from all over the world learn craft and business skills while creating unique gifts benefiting themselves and others.

Organic News

2008-12-02T02:02:00.000-05:00

• Dr. Alan Greene ate exclusively organic food for three years, the amount of time the Department of Agriculture reports it takes an animal to be certified organic. A California pediatrician, Dr. Greene reported feeling more energetic and less ill since changing over to his all organic diet. Eating less meat balanced out the costs of buying veggies at farmers' markets and CSAs, but I'm thinking even though eating organic can be more expensive, the long term savings on healthcare makes it all worth while.

• My new favorite site, Treehugger, talks about the seven foods you must eat organic. I'd like to add to the list and include all dairy, eggs, and meat. If it's got fat, it's gotta be organic. Fat is where all the bad stuff is stored, the pesticides, the antibiotics, the toxins.

• My other new favorite site, ShopOrganic, is an Arizona based company that specializes in organic products for not just the kitchen, but the entire home. Check out their special diet sections, they even carry gluten-free and kosher supplements!

Become a fan!

2008-11-30T18:08:00.000-05:00

Blogger has a new feature that allows you to follow the blogs you read most often. Use the "FOLLOW THIS BLOG" link on the top right hand column and stay up-to-date on the latest entries from Holistica Naturopathic.

Grateful for leftovers

2008-11-27T16:34:00.000-05:00

Tired of traditional turkey leftovers? Turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, maybe even a turkey quesadilla? My favorite way to prepare leftovers is to layer everything into a casserole dish, then top with leftover mashed potatoes...Thanksgiving Shepherd's Pie! Check out my inspiration on marthastewart.com.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday in our house because it revolves around food, friends, and family. For many years, my Thanksgiving tradition has been to wake up early to prepare the meal while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (and later the National Dog Show). This year I will be preparing a wheat-free dinner featuring a brined turkey, vegetarian spelt stuffing, horseradish mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables with brussels sprouts, homemade cranberry sauce, and gluten-free desserts: brownies and pumpkin cheesecake!

Here are some resources I've used this year to help prepare my Thanksgiving dinner:

New Seasons Market is where I have ordered my turkey since moving to Portland. I placed the order online, then picked up the bird on Tuesday. With each purchase you also receive a bag of potatoes and a box of broth.

Calculate your cooking time with Butterball's Calculator and Conversion page. Just enter the weight of the turkey and it instantly calculates cooking time.

Marketwatch.com features a great article about Thanksgiving safety in the kitchen, from cleaning to cooking times.

Don't get stuffed! At least, not if you're the turkey! According to the USDA, cooking a bird with stuffing inside not only can lead to an unevenly cooked bird but increases the risk of foodborne illnesses. My experience has been that a stuffed turkey is a dry turkey and I prefer to place herbs, carrots, and onion inside for extra flavor.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake Adapted from this site, I just subbed Trader Joe's Gluten-free Ginger Snaps. The g-f brownies were made from a Trader Joe's mix, with added chocolate chips.

Safely store your leftovers My favorite food storage containers are glass with plastic lids, because they don't stain and can easily go from fridge to microwave to dishwasher (just take the lid off first). If you prefer plastic, or have yet to make the change to glass, go to The Green Guide for their guide to plastic storage supplies.

Docere...Reflexology!

2008-11-22T02:43:00.000-05:00

Over ten years ago, I enrolled in a 200-hour Reflexology certification program at New York's Open Center. After completing the program, I was inspired to return to school and study naturopathic medicine. Reflexology is all about relieving stress by applying pressure to specific points in the feet (or hands or ears). By doing so, the body returns to a balanced state where it can heal. What a perfect way to treat the whole person...through their feet!

A couple of months ago, I was interviewed for a story in Health Magazine. The editor was looking for a doctor who uses reflexology in their practice and found me through NCNM. Well, the story is now available online!

Teaching patients is fundamental to being a doctor—naturopathic or conventional. In fact, the word "doctor" comes from the latin word "docere" or "to teach. One of the reasons I love using reflexology in my practice is I can teach my patients "homework" to work on their own feet at home. This is very empowering to many people, taking an active part in the healing process.

Check out the story, learn a little about the wonders of reflexology.

Fall for Eating!

2008-10-09T10:52:00.000-04:00

Autumn is definitely here! The cool weather reminds me of walking through the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC on my daily commute to work, admiring the varieties of apples and squash. Buying food that is in season is not only more affordable, it is also fresher and more nutritious! When cooking, add spices such as ginger and cinnamon to your recipes to further warm you on a crisp autumn day.

Food Network - In Season Now A resource for finding out what food is in season and how to prepare it!

Local Harvest Check out this website to find farmers markets, family owned farms, and even restaurants and groceries that emphasize local, organic food.

And speaking of local, Mixed Greens is a blog out of Seattle that shares wonderful information (including recipes) on sustainable living in the Pacific Northwest. I just learned that pears are best when picked unripe, so today I need to grab a ladder and investigate the tree in my own backyard. Eat Local Northwest blogs about sustainable eating and cooking in Seattle and Anchorage (yes, Alaska).

And just for fun...
The 100 Mile Diet Local is the new organic

Now seeing patients...

2008-09-16T11:48:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I start my first teaching clinic shift at the NCNM Natural Health Center. I will be supervising student clinicians as they see patients and guide them through diagnoses and treatment plans. This is a great opportunity to get affordable, integrative health care, while taking part in the education of fledgling physicians. Many patients have commented that they have never received so much attention while at a doctor's appointment than they have at NHC!

The shifts are General Medicine (acute and chronic care), incorporating my interests including preventive, performing arts, anti-aging, and integrative medicine. Treatments plans include modalities such as nutritional counseling and IVs, hydrotherapy, botanical medicine, homeopathy, flower essences, and conventional medicine. The wonderful part of naturopathic medicine is its focus on the whole person – instead of just treating a symptom, we look for and treat the cause. Naturopathic medicine offers many diverse options to approach the path to good health.

I love practicing naturopathic medicine because I can teach patients tools they can use to take charge of their own health. I first learned how beneficial this can be when I practiced reflexology. I would send clients off with 'homework' to do, showing them points on their feet they could work on to support the treatment that I gave them. The response was tremendous, and they noticed positive changes in their overall health more quickly.

In several weeks, I will be starting my own private clinic shift at NHC, so stay tuned for more information! Pretty much the same focus as my teaching shifts, my private shifts will also include reflexology as a treatment option.

For an appointment on a teaching shift, call 503-552-1551.
Wednesday 4-8pm
Thursday 4-8pm

Human Race

2008-09-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I ran the Nike+Human Race 10k, the world's largest one day running event. Races were held in 25 cities across the globe. A portion of the proceeds went to one of three charities: the Lance Armstrong Foundation, ninemillion.org, and the World Wildlife Fund.

My training for this race included running short distances and Friday noticed a tightness on the lateral aspects of my leg, in my iliotibial band. Saturday morning I went by the Natural Health Center for kinesiotaping and some racing advice from Dr. Minarik. Kinesiotaping is a method of therapeutic taping used by physical therapists, chiropractors, and physicians to help support muscles in daily activity or in rehabilitation and to increase circulation of blood and lymph. After a brief consultation with a student clinician, Dr. Minarik taped my ITB and my shins, to ward off shin splints. After the initial application, my legs instantly felt lighter. It was as if the tape was lifting my legs, defying gravity itself. I did not get black or a fancy, bright colored tape as seen at the Olympics, but a more subtle beige. He then gave me advice on staying hydrated and what and when to eat the morning of the race.

A friend lent me a water bottle carrier that strapped around my waist which supplied me with electolyte-infused water during the run. I also carried some homeopathics and my cellphone, which I used to text friends when I reached the halfway point. Cheesy, yes, but I couldn't believe I had actually run that far, I had to share!

I completed the race in 1:13'57", a full half hour faster than I originally calculated. Running with others inspired me to keep going, and I picked out certain runners to keep up with and maintain my pace. I started slow, then after the first 2.5k only slowed down up the few inclines along the course. My iPod played a carefully chosen song selection to keep me motivated. I even placed Nada Surf songs every 12-15 minutes so I could keep track of my timing. The Brooklyn-based band played the post-race concert, and even though I had just run farther than I every had in my life (and faster, too), I danced throughout the hour-long show (that's me with the ponytail at the front of the stage, to the right).

I asked one woman at the start of the race what inspired her to participate and she told me she wanted to start getting in shape as well as be a part of something big. I admit it was pretty amazing being part of such a huge event, and I am now inspired to keep running to maintain my health, help reduce stress, and inspire others to do the same.

Photograph of concert: Official Nike Running Blog

Bike Commute Challenge 2008

2008-08-22T13:14:00.001-04:00

It's back! Register now for the 2008 Bike Commute Challenge. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance, which promotes bicycling in Oregon and SW Washington, organizes this challenge and has extensive resources on their site for anyone interested in biking, whether you're a commuter or just a weekend rider.

The challenge begins September 1st, so organize your co-workers, form a team, and sign up today! Why should I join, you ask? Well, check out their benefits page and learn how biking to work is not only good for you, but good for your employer!

Commuter workshops are available for new riders, and they're free! Topics covered include (as listed on their site):
* Safe and legal riding
* What you need to know about lights and rain gear
* Carrying stuff - including clothes, groceries and kids
* What to do about your hair
* Route planning and maps

Don't live in the OR/SW WA area? Your workplace can still register and use the BCC website, but will not be included in the final rankings or in the awards at the end of the month.

And as a side note, my alma mater and current employer, The National College of Natural Medicine, has won the bike challenge for the past two years. Way to go, NCNM!

PHOTO CREDIT: bikeportland.org

Keep cool!

2008-08-16T03:57:00.000-04:00

A few more tips on how to stay cool, especially if you don't have air conditioning. I lived in New York City and Richmond, Virginia for years without air conditioning, mostly because I lived in old apartments with faulty wiring. Air conditioning + other electric appliance = blown fuse. I found several ways to stay cool on those hot, sticky, east coast summer days (and nights).

• Close windows, curtains, and shades during the day. Keep the hot sun out and the cool air in.
• When it cools off at night, open windows and position several fans to blow cool air in and hot air out. Cross ventilation is key. Ceiling and window fans work great to get air moving!
• My mom taught me a trick she learned when she was young: run cold water over your wrists. You can place a cool cloth on the back of your neck, too.
• Hang out in the basement (or any lower level room), because heat rises. I'm blogging from there right now. Usually it's way too cold down here in the rec room, but tonight I have a feeling it's gonna feel nice.
• Stay away from the beer! An icy cold alcoholic beverage might sound good right about now, but it alcohol is dehydrating.
• Use a spray bottle with water to mist yourself in front of a fan. Or use a spray bottle with a battery operated fan attached. It acts much like perspiration, cooling you off as the water evaporates from your skin.
• Public air conditioning...go to the mall. Or the public library, the movies, or a museum. Learn something new while you escape the heat.
• While it may be tempting to run through your sprinkler in your front yard, there are public water sources you can take advantage of without contributing to water waste. Check around your area for community center pools and recreation centers. In Portland, here are also public fountains that allow waders, just be sure to follow a few simple safety rules.

A few more cool things I stumbled upon this evening:
The Better Ice Cream Scoop
Watermelon salsa!

Finally, a reminder to bring your pets indoors and make sure they have plenty of water to drink. Check your local pet store for a cooling pad for your pet's bed or crate. There are a number of different brands, just use the Google to find a pet store near you. One company advertises their pad works for cooling off people as well! Here are some more hints from Martha Stewart's website to keeping your pets safe in a heat wave.

Holistica Naturopathic: the graph

2008-08-15T13:47:00.000-04:00

Okay, this site truly is the coolness. Above is the visual interpretation of my humble little blog. Try it yourself with your favorite website.

I need to log off now or I will never go to work.

Hot and coolness

2008-08-15T12:32:00.000-04:00

It's going to be another hot day here in the Pacific NW...over 100°! Stay cool wherever you are by staying indoors and keeping yourself hydrated. I've requested (and dispensed) advice on ways to increase water intake for those of us who tend not to drink as much as we should. Not to repeat myself (as I did in yesterday's post about healthy houseplants...I originally posted that link last year!), I will now include other ways of staying hydrated...eating!

Eat your water! Foods that contain high water content include fruits and veggies, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini and greens like lettuce, spinach, and celery. Make a refreshing fruit soup or a delicious cold veggie soup, like gazpacho (see picture...I made that!) or chilled pea, for lunch or dinner. Serve it with a mixed green salad and add some protein like nuts, fish, or chicken.

Pretty cool, right? Here are some more cool things I found on the 'net (courtesy of Weiden+Kennedy):

The Girl Effect

Wordle! Make word cloud art.

Websites as graphs? Not sure of it's purpose, but just some more things to look at as you cool off indoors.

For more strange, behind the scenes insight into the world of advertising, check out the W+K Portland blog.

Surfin' the 'net

2008-08-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network offers information for those who are diagnosed with just that...food allergies. Not the same as food sensitivities or intolerances, an allergic reaction produces almost immediate symptoms such as a rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of throat or tongue, even death. The FAAN even allows readers to sign up for alerts that inform of any possible allergen contamination of food, such as undeclared soy found in certain chicken products.

Healthy Houseplants I have terrible luck with growing houseplants, but perhaps I should give it another go. Every once in a while I come across articles that extol the virtues of houseplants, how they clean the air of common indoor toxins such as toluene and formaldehyde. The Green Guide (one of my favorite websites brought to you by one of the greatest magazines ever) ran an article last year that discusses just this topic.

Discovery Channel's Planet Green has a guide to green cleaning. I haven't had a chance to see if we get Planet Green on our tv, but even if it's not part of our (very basic) cable plan, the website provides some great information on green living, including travel!

holistica naturopathic

New Year

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Thank you, Steve.

iced green tea with strawberry lemonade

Heat wave

Aging IS all in your mind!

Quick and Easy Pan Chili

Comfort food: Roasted chicken

Challenges

Woulda, coulda, shoulder

First Friday: Juju's night out

Mind Your Mammaries Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Twinkie

Zucchini ribbons with white beans and tomatoes

Cucumber salad with heirloom tomatoes

Lentils in korma simmer sauce

Cheesy beefy mac

Echinacea

Father's Day

President's Cancer Panel Report

Homemade

Adventures in Indiana: Farm fieldtrip with goats and bees

Super easy, gluten-free oats granola

Featured Artist: Jack Skuller

Join the Revolution!

Wheat-free, corn-free, peanut butter dog treat

Green and clean

Go Green, Indiana!

Chickpeas in Jalfrezi simmer sauce

Slow Cooking: Lentil Soup

Lentil SoupAdapted from ABC's Slow-Cooker Recipe Finalist, Mary Sperling of Newberg, Ore.

Mammogram 01/07/10

Slow cookerama

Migas

New Year

Welcome 2010

Gluten Free Sensations

Surfing the 'net

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake

November First Friday Wellness at Holistica

ChefMD: John La Puma, MD

Ginger Snap Pear Tartin

Featured Artist: Cari Carter at Motokitty

One more thing...

Naturopathic Doctors in the Press

Surfin' the 'net

Doctor as Patient

Featured Artist: Lisa Warninger Photography

Labor Day Weekend First Friday Wellness

Classic Summertime Gazpacho

White Bean Summer Salad

The Best Things in Life

On the Road Again: Disney Travel Kit for Kids!

Rock 'n' Wellness: Music in the News

First Friday: July 3rd Open House

Holistica Teabag Tote!

Surfin' the 'net: Calendar Girls

Gluten-free Roman (okay, Italian) Holiday

Rock 'n' Wellness: Sad News

Think Smoothie!

Wheat-Free Crumble 2.0

Holistica Newsletter

Holistica Merchandise: Pill Pocket Protector

Online Appointment Scheduling

Holistica Open House

Clinic Update – First Friday Open House

Holistica Healthcare Facebook fan page!

Chick & Clinic Update

Catching up!

What I'm Reading

Vote and Name the Chick!

Chickens, part deux: Name that chick!

Chickens!

And...we're...composting!

To Blow or Not to Blow? Cold and Flu tips.

Backward Prints - Earth friendly notes that bloom!

The Little Seed - Tree Hugging with Style

Surfin' the 'net: What I'm Reading

Lentil Soup
Adapted from ABC's Slow-Cooker Recipe Finalist, Mary Sperling of Newberg, Ore.