Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid gland, at the front of your neck, doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone or when your body fails to use thyroid hormone efficiently. There are several types of hypothyroidism. The most common is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the thyroid gland. The disease affects both sexes and all ages, but is most...
What We SHOULD Eat
1. Nutrient-Dense Leafy Greens - daily, unlimited amounts! The more the better! One or two types at any time. Explore the many kinds. Try kale, mustard greens, collards, dandelion greens, arugula, beet greens, parsley, cilantro, spinach, swiss chard, endive, green and red lettuce, turnip greens, lamb’s lettuce, watercress, fresh herbs, etc…...
Candida Albicans Dietary Guide
Food Permitted Foods Foods Not Permitted Sweets Unpasteurized honey, unsulfurated black-strap molasses, raw sugar sorghum by themselves or used as sweeteners. NOTE: Use in moderation! Refined sugar, candy, chocolate....
Rhododendron Trek in Nepal
Cultural Diversity of Nepal and Spectacular Himalayan Wilderness – Off the Beaten Path Explore A Rarely-Visited, Dramatic High-Altitude Holy Area!!! 14 days (March 2007) with 10 days of inspiring, sustainable community eco-trekking!
Foraging, Herbology, and Mangoes, it must be Spring!
When I was in Israel (the Galilee) and Italy (Tuscany) a few weeks ago, I went foraging a bit (see those pictures and other foraging pictures in the blog). Even in Victoria, BC last week I found some time with my hosts to eat some wild plants (but not in Seattle, Olympia area, and Portland - I wish there was more time!). Each country and State with its own micro-climate supports its own...
Winter Depression
Question: I tend to be moody and irritable in the winter (Seasonal Affective Disorder, SAD), but it lasts a lot longer into the summer in recent years, and I feel more and more depressed. Any suggestions?
Reducing Cholesterol Naturally
Question: I have been told that I have a total cholesterol of 278/HDL of 60. My doctor put me on a statin which was not good for my liver. He then put me on another statin which caused muscle aches, nausea, and lethargy. What can I do that will be more natural but get my cholesterol down?
Reducing Cholesterol Naturally
Question: I have been told that I have a total cholesterol of 278/HDL of 60. My doctor put me on a statin which was not good for my liver. He then put me on another statin which caused muscle aches, nausea, and lethargy. What can I do that will be more natural but get my cholesterol down?
Blood Interpretation
Cholesterol Cholesterol values should only be analyzed after a 12 hour fast. Further, the physician must be aware that the patient's posture prior to the blood draw is significant. If the patient has been in a recumbent posture for more than 20 minutes, cholesterol values may be up to 15% lower than normal. Cholesterol is a blood fat which is the prime building block component to make...
Blood Sugar Dysregulation / Metabolic Syndrome
General nutritional support strategies for individuals with any dysglycemic response. i.e. Metabolic Syndrome (lnsulin Resistance and Hyperinsulinemia) Type II Diabetes Reactive Hypoglycemia. NOTE: "Type 1 Diabetes" see Autoimmune Section
Candida Albicans
Candidiasis is an infection with a fungus of the Candida strain, usually limited to the skin and mucous membranes, but sometimes is systemic and life-threatening. Candida albicans are a single cell yeast/fungus that is found in practically 100% of the population. It lives on the mucous membranes of the body, the digestive/intestinal tract, vagina and the skin. MOST...
Cardiovascular Disease
Definitions of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Total cholesterol Cholesterol is a waxy fat like substance. Total cholesterol refers to the sum of the different sub-fractions of cholesterol that are measured in the blood. Total cholesterol is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The National Cholesterol Education Program says 240 is considered high. A person with this level...
Common Cold
The common cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. In the United States, adults have between 3 and 6 colds a year, and children have as many as 8 to 10.
Eye Conditions
Cataracts Cataracts are clumps of protein that collect on the lens of an eye and interfere with vision. Normally, light passes through the lens (the clear tissue behind the pupil) and focuses on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive layer of the eye that sends visual signals to the brain. A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens becomes cloudy. Most cataracts develop slowly...
Female Conditions
Amenorrhea Absence of menstruation. Amenorrhea may be primary (the girl has never begun her periods) or secondary (the woman had her periods once and then stopped having them). Physiologic amenorrhea is the lack of menses before menarche, during pregnancy and early lactation, and after menopause (all considered normal). All other causes of amenorrhea are pathologic. Causes of Primary...
Fibromyalgia
Adapted from "Nutritional Therapies for Fibromyalgia Syndrome", written by Kristi Hughes, ND Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by generalized musculoskeletal pain and stiffness, chronic aching, fatigue, and multiple areas of local tenderness that can be identified during physical examination. Research studies suggest that fibromyalgia pain may be the result of a...
Influenza
Influenza, or "flu," is a common infection caused by a virus affecting the respiratory tract (like the nose and upper airways). Its symptoms are usually more severe than the common cold and are more likely to affect other parts of your body like your stomach and muscles. The flu is very contagious - spreading easily from one person to the next. While most cases run their course in...
Liver / Gallbladder
Hepatopathy: any disease of the liver. Hepatotoxin: a toxin that destroys liver cells. Cholestasis: stoppage or suppression of bile flow, due to factors within (intrahepatic cholestasis) or outside the liver (extrahepatic cholestasis). Cirrhosis: a liver disease characterized pathologically by the loss of the normal microscopic lobular architecture and regenerative...
Low Back Pain
Pain felt either in the lumbar, lumbosacral, or sacroiliac areas. Most low back pain is from degenerative joint disease in the lumbosacral region, poor posture, the beer belly, constipation, and stress-induced myospasms of the lumbosacral region. Low back pain is commonly associated with sciatica. The prognosis depends on the cause. Generally, the condition is benign and the prognosis is...
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a painless, degenerative eye disease that affects more than 10 million Americans. It is the leading cause of legal blindness in persons over the age of 55 in the United States. While complete blindness does not occur in most people with the disorder, macular degeneration often interferes with reading, driving, or performing other daily activities. There are two forms of...
Myofibrositis
Scar-type tissue causing restriction of tissue motion. Traumatic tearing of soft tissues or long standing muscle spasms cause production of thixotropic gel which organizes itself into collagen scar tissue. This is the body's attempt to stabilize what is perceived as injury. Three problems result from this scar formation:
Neurological Conditions
Neurological Conditions The Interplay of Neurotransmitters & Mental States The body is the theater for emotional and cognitive states. Whether mood or mental issues express themselves through behavior or physical functioning-neurotransmitters are one group of characters at play. Memory and cognitive processes are heavily dependent on acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter...
Parkinson's Disease
A chronic progressive CNS disorder characterized by slowness of purposeful movement, resting tremors, and muscle rigidity. Also called "Parkinsonism" and "Paralysis Agitans" Dorland's Medical Dictionary describes the Parkinsonian complex as "neurologic disorders characterized by hypokinesia, tremors and muscular rigidity. It typically occurs late in life,...
Prostatitis (Prostatic Hypertrophy, Benign)
Pathology A common entity which occurs in about four out of every five men in America over the age of 50 years. It is characterized by the growth of multiple fibroadenomatous nodules enlarging the prostate gland and compromising the urethra causing variable degrees of bladder outlet obstruction.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
The Natural Approach Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the entire body but especially the synovial membranes of the joints. It is a classic example of an "autoimmune disease," a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the body's own tissue. Although rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, it affects primarily the joints. The...
Skin Conditions
Acne Vulgaris An inflammatory disease most commonly seen in teenagers. It affects areas where sebaceous glands are largest, most numerous, and most active. Mild cases consisting of few residual signs except possibly dilated pores, and the development of the comedo, or blackhead, may progress through more pathological stages of ruptured sebaceous ducts, pustule formation,...
Stress
The many faces of stress Stress manifests differently depending on the individual, influencing many biological processes that begin in the brain and spread through nearly all body systems - including the adrenals, thyroid, neurotransmitter systems, digestive system, and heart. Consistent stress over long periods of time can become a serious threat to maintaining lifelong wellness as so much energy...
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)
Question: My community-mate needs some convincing as of why hydrogen peroxide is a safe product to be used to improve hygiene in our community and educational center, here's what he wrote - can you write a brief answer to calm him down? - "After hearing about it, I was fully prepared to accept hydrogen peroxide as an alternative to soap. This morning I decided to look for some...
