There are endless advertisements for anti-histamines, decongestants and other ways to pharmaceutically survive the allergy season. As a naturopath, there are many ways to effectively address allergies, often eliminating them completely with a few dietary modifications and natural remedies.

It helps to understand what an allergic reaction to better understand how to treat them. Allergies are a reaction to a harmless substance in the environment that the body views as harmful. It dumps excessive amounts of histamine, a compound that triggers an inflammatory response and increases vascular permeability to fight off the invading substance. The end result is excessive amounts of fluid draining from your eyes and nose.

Treating allergies from a naturopathic perspective is controlling inflammation and reducing or inhibiting histamine release. There are many ways to do this but here are a few of my favorites:

- Eliminate dairy products. Dairy products create mucus and inflammation both will aggravate allergies.

- Honey. Local, raw honey has proven to be a great preventative and treatment for seasonal allergies. Check out your local farmer’s Market, produce stand or People’s Co-op for this delicacy.

- Nettles. You can collect your own or purchase them fresh or dried. Research has shown them to be 87% effective in reducing and/or eliminating allergies.

- Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that helps to lower inflammation and settles the immune system. You need to do this daily and increase during allergy attacks.

- Bromelain is an enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties and comes from pineapples (the tougher middle section). Adding pineapple to your diet will be helpful but you may not achieve therapeutic doses.

- Quercitin is a flavonoid found in sweet potatoes, green beans, onion skins, berries, broccoli and a handful of other foods. Again, capsule form may allow for a therapeutic dose but adding these foods to your diet regime would be beneficial and preventative.

These are just a few common treatments. To discuss naturopathic allergy treatments further, stop in Flow Natural Health Care located in Milwaukie, minutes from Portland.

Marsha Hamilton, ND

They go by many names and invoke numerous images such as a flying red male cow, or ferocious green creature or even the electronic device a rocker may plug her electric guitar into just to annoy the neighbors. Regardless of name they are essentially doing the same thing, trading a temporary rush of energy for a much larger and costlier subsequent crash.

In 2011 domestic sales of energy drink reached an excess of $6.9Bln and globally exceeded $50Bln. This is a huge industry and for all the claims that are made one important piece of information is omitted. Energy drinks result in an overall reduction of health and wellness. Let us explore why this is.

The body is a complicated and very sensitive machine that relies on a vast network of chemicals to communicate within itself. For example, if I am stressed, a small gland in my brain, the pituitary, will release a chemical message to my adrenal gland to release a different chemical, cortisol. That cortisol gives me a little boost of energy to run/fight, or focus to find a solution. The energy, at least in part, comes from a simultaneous release of stored sugar from the liver and muscles. Energy drinks force the body, mainly the adrenal glands, to secrete cortisol in very high and often sustained amounts. Cortisol, in addition to releasing stored sugar (giving a rush and subsequent crash) also suppresses the immune system. The high and frequent release of sugar increases the risk of diseases such as diabetes, but, a long term increase in cortisol suppresses or reduces the immune system. This suppression may have far more profound consequences to health including chronic disease and cancer. This repetitive stimulation of the adrenals causes the glands to fatigue. This adrenal fatigue results in an increased dependence on more energy drinks and sugary foods.

A classic profile of someone who is suffering from adrenal fatigue looks something like the following. Difficulty waking up in the morning and very tired. Energy does not really kick in until about 2-3 hrs after rising. Energy goes pretty good until around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and then quite tired (reach for energy drink/coffee) then feeling okay until close to bed. A “second wind” may be felt right around the time to go to sleep 9-11 at night. While not everyone experiences it the same, if this sounds something like what you are feeling there is a good chance you are experiencing some level of adrenal fatigue. The good news is there’s help. It is possible to completely remove energy drinks from your diet and feel better than before energy in a sustained fashion. Depending on how depleted you are will affect the timeline to recovery. Start by drinking plenty of water. A reasonable amount for healthy individuals is 1/3 your body weight in ounces a day. If I weigh 200lbs then 66oz. is my goal. Eat plenty of leafy greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach, mustard greens, etc) Eat breakfast and avoid sugary/starchy items. Try a hard boiled egg. No sweets/alcohol before bed. Sugar dramatically affects the quality of sleep and we want the best sleep we can get to repair. For specifics that are tailored to you personally come by for a consult. Take charge of your life and have more energy, naturally, to enjoy the things you like.

Dr. Richard Lok, ND

SAD can be mild or severe and can affect anyone. It is more common in areas further from the equator and those with a history of depression. It typically begins in late fall or early winter but onset can vary similar to the intensity. The lack of daylight is a major trigger but the exact cause is unknown. With shorter daylight hours, the body’s circadian rhythms adjust resulting in the pineal gland releasing more sleep hormones then waking hormones. There is also less vitamin D produced in the body with less exposure to sunlight, both from less hours and intensity of sunlight, and typically having less skin exposed from wearing more clothes.

Naturopathic physicians have treatments for SAD in addition to the recommended light therapy and vitamin D. Light therapy is a fairly easy treatment requiring 30 minutes a day in front of a light box. Light boxes have been shown to be effective in treating many cases of SAD. Make sure you purchase a light box specific to treating SAD and think about when and where you are going to use it to help you decide which model is the best fit for you. Light boxes designed to treat SAD filter out most UV rays to minimize or eliminate damage to your skin or eyes. That said, each brand has different filtering levels so try to find one that filters as much UV as possible.

Vitamin D is another common and effective treatment for SAD. Talk to you naturopath about dosing and timing of vitamin D to maximize the benefits. There are other natural treatments that we can use to further treat, and ideally prevent SAD from developing.

If you are struggling this winter with increased fatigue, decreased motivation or any other symptom of SAD, stop in at Flow Natural Health Care located in Milwaukie, just minutes from Portland to get relief and get your life back.

Marsha Hamilton, ND.

Oxidation is a chemical term that means a transfer of energy, in this case electrons. Everything in our world is made of atoms, and a very important part of the atom is the electron. The electron is the part of the atom that does most of the interacting with its neighbors. An atom wants to be stable and balanced. The members of the center of the atom, the nucleus, want to be equal and balanced to the electrons swarming around them. If you transfer electrons to or away from this atom you change the balance and everything tries to reorder itself back to the way it was, even if it means stealing from its neighbors. We call an atom in this state a free radical. Free radicals can cause profound changes within our cells, including damage to our DNA. That damage might reprogram the genetic code and cause a cell to become cancerous.

Free radicals are produced all the time in our bodies. When it is part of the function of the immune system these highly reactive free radicals can destroy bacteria and viruses, this is a good thing. But when free radicals are produced in places that are not equipped to handle them, we may suffer.

An anti-oxidant is a substance that prevents oxidation and the creation of these extra and dangerous free radicals. An important item to note is that too many anti-oxidants will also affect the normal healthy free-radical formation so knowing how much, and what forms, is worth talking to someone about, especially if you plan on high doses. Anti-oxidants come in many shapes and each one has its particular area of greatest influence.

Anti-oxidants occur everywhere in nature, especially in plants. We ingest most of them as fruits and vegetables, especially the brightly colored ones.

Red = berries, wine, tomato and other fruits.

Benefit = blood vessels, heart

Yellow = papaya, turmeric, carrots, pineapple and other fruits

Benefit = reduce allergies and inflammation

Green = tea

Benefit = multi-system anti cancer

In addition to the compounds that color these various plants, many of the vitamins included in other foods provide anti-oxidant properties as well. Some of the best know are ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherols (vitamin E), and β-carotene.

The best way to get these highly beneficial anti-oxidants is to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Try and put at least one in every meal and rotate with as much variety as possible. Not only will you live longer but chances are good that you will feel better and be healthier during that time as well.

-As always, eat for life and be well in happiness.

Dr. Richard Lok

For more information check out www.movember.com

In case you are unfamiliar with this condition, anemia is when the body has inadequate red blood cells or hemoglobin to oxygenate the body sufficiently. There are many reasons this can develop, a few of which are inadequate dietary iron, blood loss from long and/or heavy menstruation, a bleeding hemorrhoid or Celiac disease. Anemia results in fatigue, pallor, decreased stamina, shortness of breath with exertion, lack of motivation and possibly depression.

This small statement, in my opinion, is great news for the evolution of the current medical model. Lab values need to be adjusted, retested and challenged to adequately do what they are supposed to do; help us identify imbalances in the body before they become problems. Prevention is stopping the disease process from occurring, not just cutting out the damage. This change in the lab value and the way anemia is tested for, if it were to happen, should help more women to feel healthy and strong, while giving more insight to potentially hazardous processes that may be occurring.

Celiac disease is a great example of this, chronic and unresponsive anemia is often indicative of this condition. The immune reaction from gluten will affect the small intestine, where iron is normally absorbed leading to a decrease in absorption which eventually results in iron deficiency anemia. If your doctor doesn’t think you are anemic based on out dated lab ranges, they may not take the time to investigate why you have anemia and miss an early stage disease process. The longer the disease processes is allowed to continue, the more extensive and serious the damage.

If you are experiencing any of the above conditions or symptoms, it is important to have a full blood workup done. Iron supplementation is not safe for everyone so identifying the need is just as important as determining the type of anemia. Some women have excellent stores of iron but their body is missing the co-factors to put that iron to use, resulting in all the symptoms of anemia but mostly normal blood work results. This is another reason to have a thorough workup done.

Anemia is usually easy to treat and provides immense improvement in your quality of life. If you think you may be anemic, or you are anemic and not given a full workup or treatment plan, you should come in. We’ll do some blood tests and get you feeling better quickly.

References:

1. Paul Vaucher DiO MSc, et al. Effect of Iron Supplementation on Fatigue in Nonanemic

Menstruating Women With Low Ferritin: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Canadian Medical Association Journal. July 9, 2012.

2. Medscape.com

Dietary fiber lowers total cholesterol and LDL or “bad” cholesterol, and reduces your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It can also lower your chances of having a heart attack or similar event. It does this by absorbing cholesterol as it moves through the digestive system and is eliminated in your stool. Even better improvements are observed when a high fiber diet is combined with a low glycemic load diet. That combination lowers triglyceride levels and increases HDL or the “good” cholesterol. Ultimately, by increasing your dietary fiber by 10 grams/day you can lower your risk of a coronary related event by 14% and a resultant fatal event by 24%.

Blood sugar regulation (prediabetes or diabetes) is a problem that affects 8.3% of the American population. That number only includes those that are diagnosed. The Diabetes Association estimates that 79 million people are prediabetic. Increasing your fiber intake can decrease your risk of developing type II diabetes, help regulate your glucose levels and decrease the complications associated with diabetes. Fiber rich foods result in smaller, more controlled rises in blood glucose after a meal. This allows the pancreas to respond appropriately with just enough insulin to keep levels balanced. A meal that is quickly digested and absorbed, most simple or refined carbohydrates, will have rapid spikes in blood sugar causing the pancreas to over respond and release large amounts of insulin. Over time this exhausts the pancreas leading to death of the insulin producing cells and insulin resistance.

You can lower your risk of breast cancer (a hormonal cancer) by increasing your dietary fiber. Dietary fiber will absorb excess estrogens circulating throughout the body that are then excreted in the stool. This lowers estrogen levels that will lower the estrogen exposure to sensitive tissues (breast, endometrium, and prostate). Estrogen is metabolized into four metabolites; 2 are protective and 2 are cancer causing (slightly simplified of course). Dietary fiber pushes estrogen metabolism towards the protective forms helping to reduce one’s breast cancer risk.

Weight loss and weight maintenance is positively influenced by dietary fiber by helping you feel full sooner and longer. During weight loss, there is an increase in estrogens and toxins entering the bloodstream as the adipose (fat) cells are broken down. By increasing your fiber you will not only help with satiety, but be protecting your body through the weight loss process by lessening the damaging effects of the elevated estrogen and heavy metals.

The recommended Fiber intake for Men is 38 grams/day and 25 grams/day for women. That is the bare minimum and you should aim higher to better your health and wellbeing by increasing fiber rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole, unrefined grains.

­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________

1. Linus Pauling Institute. www.lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/fiber/

2. Diabetes Association of America. www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/

3. Pubmed. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

Ingredients:

DRY

* 1 1/2 cup almond flour

* 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

* pinch of nutmeg

* pinch of salt

WET

* 2  bananas, mashed

* 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds soaked in 6 tablespoons water

* 1 tablespoon honey

* 1 tablespoon coconut oil

* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

EXTRA

* 1/3 chopped walnuts or dark (organic) chocolate chips

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place muffins cups in muffin tin or oil tins with coconut oil and set aside.

- Soak 2 tbsp flaxseeds in 6 tbsp water and set aside.

- Mix together all the dry ingredients except the nuts/chocolate chips.

- In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together, including the soaked flaxseeds.

- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients, add nuts/chocolate chips and stir until just combined.

- Fill the muffin tins only 3/4 full. Bake 15-25 minutes (depending on the size of your muffin tins) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

- Let cool before eating.

Blueberries are not only great tasting; they are a fiber rich, low calorie berry oozing with health benefits. They are full of anti-oxidants, specifically anthocyanins, which go around the body repairing cellular damage. This is important to balance the negative effects of stress, environmental toxins, poor dietary choices and lack of exercise.

One cup of blueberries contains 3.6 grams of fiber. Fiber is important to mediate rapid rises in blood sugar levels, absorb cholesterol, hormone metabolites and toxins and remove them from the body. Berries have a low glycemic index, meaning they do not trigger a fast rise in your blood sugar levels and are thus a great addition for diabetics and anyone working to control their blood sugar levels.

A study published in 2011 by McAnulty et al, showed that a daily consumption of blueberries for six weeks raised Natural Killer T-cell (NKT) counts. Any dysfunction with these cells in your body has a significant impact on your immune system, especially your ability to fight off cancer or develop an autoimmune condition.

The same study also showed that immediate ingestion of blueberries decreased oxidative stress while increasing the anti- inflammation mediators in the body. This is significant for EVERYONE, and extremely helpful for recreational and professional athletes. By adding blueberries to your post workout smoothie, snack or meal you can recover faster, more completely and suffer less muscular deterioration from your workout.

Blueberries are a low fat, higher fiber food that is local, healthy and tasty. Add them to your daily routine and feel good about it!

References:

1. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Dec;36(6):976-84. Epub 2011 Nov 23.
Effect of blueberry ingestion on natural killer cell counts, oxidative stress, and inflammation prior to and after 2.5 h of running.
McAnulty LS, Nieman DC, Dumke CL, Shooter LA, Henson DA, Utter AC, Milne G, McAnulty SR.

2. Livestrong.org

3. Photo courtesy of shinycooking.com

This therapy is good for individuals experiencing:
-    fatigue
-    anemia
-    chronic stress
-    malabsorption
-    GI disorders (IBS, UC, Celiacs)
-    acute illnesses (colds & flu’s)

Athletes, both professional and weekend warriors, can significantly benefit from additional nutritional support to replenish nutrient stores and facilitate a faster and more complete recovery.

We are excited to offer both IV nutritional therapy and B vitamin shots at our clinic. Call us if you are interested and we’ll get you scheduled!