Introducing favorite superfoods and their recipes is an occasional feature here at the Kitchen Table. By gradually “making friends” with the most healthy foods from nature and learning how to incorporate them in to your diet you should notice a remarkable improvement in your health.

Most superfoods are simply high in anti-oxidants and thus slow down the natural destructive process of the tissues in our bodies. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants will help to prevent aging as well as a myriad of other chronic complaints and inflammation.

Other superfoods are super because they are rich in certain vitamins, minerals or other nutrients that benefit the body in a significant way.

Everyone is always invited to add their favorite recipes using any superfood in the comments section for all to enjoy!

If you care to submit a recipe to be featured in future articles contact us!

Here are some of my favorite Super Foods:

• Almonds, almond butter

• Apples

• Beets

• Blueberries

• Broccoli

• Brown rice

• Butterfish

• Carrots

• Cherry

• Chickpeas

• Chocolate

• Cilantro

• Coconut

• Cranberries

• Flaxseed, ground and flaxseed oil (not cooked)

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Kale

• Kidney beans

• Nettles

• Oats

• Olives & Olive Oil

• Papaya

• Parsley

• Peaches (organic)

• Pears

• Pine nuts

• Pistachios

• Pomegranate

• Pumpkin seeds (raw not cooked)

• Quinoa

• Raisin

• Raspberry

• Rosemary

• Romaine lettuce

• Sage

• Salmon

• Sesame butter or seeds (raw)

• Spinach

• Spirulina

• Sprouts

• Squash

• Tapioca

• Turmeric

• Walnuts (raw)

• Watermelon

• Zuchini

What am I leaving out? What is your favorite “superfood?”

Dr. Nicole

Recently, researchers at Yale University found an alarming result to their preliminary study on how plastics affect the functioning of our Central Nervous System.

Wow! Imagine the possibilities? Wouldn’t it be nice to blame all your forgetfulness on that Tupperware lunch you just microwaved? Maybe you had brain fog this morning because you drank your organic coffee from a plastic traveler’s mug?

Maybe it is plastics, not aluminum, causing Alzheimer’s; maybe it’s all the plastics in our environment breaking down and causing the rates of ADHD, depression, autism, and other diseases of relatively unknown etiology to suddenly rise.

Doesn’t that sound crazy? But—it very well could be reality. All new chemicals are guilty until proven innocent. Why? Because that is the SAFEST option for consumers. However, the FDA does not promote safety, they promote big business in America. Anyone can see that in their inability to properly examine new substances for consumers to ingest.

Did you know that all new food additives can be FDA approved simply by laboratory testing on animals alone? Doesn’t that make you want to think twice before drinking that sucralose sports drink? If you don’t believe me then just think about why tobacco, a known killer has not been banned by the FDA?

You are drinking a man made substance that has NEVER been tested on human beings and approved for safety.

Plastics are no different. Researchers are JUST NOW growing concerned about the degradation of plastics in our environment and starting to really do some preliminary research on the health consequences of plastics.

What would we all do without plastics? We have grown so dependent on plastics.

You might be reading this right now and freaking out! OH MY GOSH! Everything in my house is plastic. My house is made of modified plastics…I drive in plastics…I eat out of plastics…I drink out of plastics! My child is teething on a big piece of plastic.

As a doctor and researcher with a passion for biochemistry, I really think that plastics - just like lead pipes, BPA, Azo yellow dye, asbestos, and all the medications the FDA is constantly approving and then yanking off the shelves - boils down to the same final dilemma that no one in the world is ever willing to accept:

You just can’t cheat the system.

I support people looking for a better way, an easier way. I am always after the same. However, the better way does not involve “cheating the system,” it involves supporting it. When we look for cheap quick fixes for today’s problems without thinking forward to the future generations, we will ALWAYS have a problem with our environment.

Think forward to fifty years from now—think about how much more plastic will be in our environment if we don’t stop now.

So, on one hand we have a very preliminary study done on plastics…and some evidence that plastics may be the problem in certain reproductive cancers…is there enough evidence yet…?

The problem is that the FDA approves something and then that thing is this “golden child” that then must be proven guilty (via expensive research).

Is “innocent until proven guilty” the best solution for potentially toxic products? There are plastics manufacturers everywhere burying the very research we need because they don’t want consumers to stop buying their products.

As a doctor with ten years of post secondary education, I vote for “why bother waiting around to find out”. The damage done by plastics is already more than enough evidence. We know they are bad. We know they break down in to “xenoestrogens,” or molecules that structurally mimic estrogen and are thus able to stimulate estrogen receptors.

We know that we should not even be drinking out of plastic water bottles. We know that smaller organisms in our environment are slowly transforming to a predominantly female gender as a result of the presence of these xenoestrogens in our environment.

This study by Yale University showing that plastics interfere with brain functions is simply the tip of the plastics iceberg. Unfortunately this may just be too big of an iceberg for us to navigate around.

What can you do as a consumer? Stop buying plastics, of course. There are typically superior products available made of stainless steel, glass, wood, and cast iron options that have circulated through generations and proven safe by the best test of all. The test of time is better than any double blind randomized control trial.

Every new thing in science gets a critical eye from me, and the plastics story is no exception. There is enough significant evidence at this point in time to warrant pulling most plastics from the shelves, and yet the FDA is not doing so because the bottom line is always the same thing—money.

Yes, at times these things may cost a little bit more, but just think of it as YOU having the voice to VOTE for what you want our environment to be composed of by choosing NOT to purchase items made of plastic.

I always love reading Dr. Mercola’s opinions on various new stories because he is fearless, and is quick to point out the pink elephant in the room. He must get a lot of hate mail…poor guy.  But for those of us sitting back going, “AMEN!!!” I would just like to take a moment to say thanks.  Especially when I read up on a topic that has had me concerned for nearly a decade….how drugs are marketed.

Here is Dr. Mercola’s take on this topic: “Harvard Med Students Rebel Against Big Pharma”And here is the original article if you would like more info.

So I don’t really find it big news at all that Harvard Med School recently scored an “F” (yes - the worse score possible) for taking too many kick backs from big pharma….

Not to mention one of the largest drug manufacturers put up shop just right across the street…
Hmmm….coinkydink?

I think NOT!!!

As much as I would love for some drug rep to whisk me away from my life of overworking hell and take me to the Bahamas where I just have to listen to some seminar to make an extra $20,000 grand this year in “grants” or whatever….it just is not going to happen.

The Chief of Staff at the hospital I worked wouldn’t even use a single pen made by a drug rep, and heaven forbid some newbie actually made it past me and into his office!

At the time, I would sit at my desk and organize my free pads of paper, water my free Viagra cactus, eat my free glucophage doughnuts, and drink my free coffee from the Angiotensin II Receptor Blocking Rep (blood pressure med) without being educated enough to understand how deep the bitter ugly irony of my drug rep riddled world was…especially when the phone would ring and I would talk to little old ladies about how they couldn’t afford food because medicare didn’t cover this drug that they desperately needed.

Back before I actually became a doctor, I would observe the doctors I worked for so that I could be as “doctor like” as possible. I watched every move they made. Memorized anything they said.  I watched how most drug reps would manage to schmooze their way in.

I watched how certain doctors refused to read their literature. I watched one doctor hold up a sign she had made with a black sharpie pen that said, “NO THICK GLOSSY LANDFILL” as she signed for that week’s free samples….she was a pharmacologist and an MD, and she knew better than to take advice on how to be a doctor from some “barbie doll with a briefcase.”  Her words, not mine.

Now that 100 people have just unsubscribed from my blog, be sure to drop me some fan mail if you like my occasional angry rants because it sure does help me fight this cause.

Nonetheless….good will prevail over evil….and this article on what should be the BEST of American medical schools demonstrates the fraudulent duplicity in our health care system that results in us being the most unhealthy country second to Finland, while we manage to spend the MOST on health care.

Can I give the entire American health care system an “F” while we are at it? I guess I can’t really fault the students when the teachers….the doctors (from the Latin “docere” meaning “to teach”) are replete with corruption.

You know where the best med school is though?

Bastyr University….my alma mater. The best school for naturopathic physicians in the world. Go there….trust me, there isn’t a drug rep to be found.

If Obama wants to make a difference in health care while in the oval office, he needs to cap how drug companies are allowed to market their product. And for all you capitalists out there…

I know this is America, but we have to draw the ethical line somewhere, and it looks like we need to start on the street dividing Harvard from Big Pharma.

Related Reading:

Drug Company Had Hit List for Doctors Who Criticized Them

I will be reading and reviewing non-fiction books as well as some great fiction that I believe follow the theme and genre of the Kitchen Table. In doing this, I would like to address the “whole” person, mentally, physically and spiritually.

So, we will be reading some books that address or pertain to issues from each of these categories.

There are a lot of awesome books out there and I am excited about exploring many of them with you.

Feel free to ask questions or suggest a book that you would like to share with the Book Club. At the beginning of each month, I will be posting the books that we will be covering the following month. This will give you a chance to get the book, if you would like, and read it ahead of time and plan to share your own thoughts and opinions.

I enjoy reading your comments on the reviews and would love to have some good discussions! So visit the “comment” section after each review and leave me some feedback.

Check back next week to discuss: “Habit Guide” by Mike Kinnaird

Recent Reviews

Organic Food Gardening Beginner’s Manual

Zen to Done

Panic Away

The Sensitive Chef Cookbook

My Uncle Ron is a great guy, and at our last get-together he said, “You always are sharing all this wisdom from your Dad and even your brother-in-law on your blog…..don’t you have something wonderful to say about your Uncle Ron?”

Of course I have a ton of wonderful things to say about my Uncle Ron! First and foremost, anytime you go over to visit Uncle Ron he is quick to make you feel welcome by offering you a drink. He always has a great variety on hand.

In honor of Father’s Day I would like to recognize all the great father figures in my life, along with my own fabulous dad. Thank you all for being such amazing role models, and for always just being there. My Uncle Ron wins the hospitality award!

The Ten Healthiest Hospitality Drinks:

#1 Water of course! Be sure to always filter water at your tap instead of buying plastic bottles that clog our systems with BPA as well as landfills. Be a cool “jar drinker” like me. Glass is best. If you also want clean ice cubes, filter the water at the main source.

As I explained in my “Obesity Tax on Soda” tirade, the only thing we should typically be drinking is WATER. Soda made with sugar is poison. Soda with artificial sweeteners is worse than poison. The only soda I recommend is sweetened with stevia, called Zevia, and even then we should still be drinking water or breast milk as nature intended.

#2 Pomegranate juice. My favorite juice is the mix of pomegranate and blueberry juice made by PomWonderful. Be sure to drink juice as a TREAT. I reward myself with a little pomegranate juice each day as it is part of my anti-aging program. I always Tweet to @Pomline Girls  on Twitter (who send me free juice) “Dr. Nicole is drinking her 8 oz of daily pom juice to prevent erectile dysfunction.”

Attention Men: Pomwonderful has done the research, and you can drink your way to Viagra prevention! Just be sure you are drinking the REAL DEAL and not water flavored with High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial flavorings and full of food coloring!

#3 Wine. Red wine is better than white when it comes down to ORAC testing (an antioxidants ability to quench free radicals that destroy our cells.) But white wine is okay too. They say a glass or two of wine is good for you due to the antioxidant capacity of the resveratrol as I mentioned in my post, “The Healing Power of Thanksgiving,” but remember the key is MODERATION. You cannot save up all these “drink coupons” and have 14 drinks on Saturday. Sorry it just doesn’t work that way!

#4 Green Tea. In Japan green tea is the ultimate hospitality drink. If you really want to get your full antioxidants, I recommend the bright green powdered version that can be whisked in to a boglike foam. Purchase it at a Japanese or Asian market. Now the average guest will NOT see this powdered green tea as a hospitable treat, unless they are some freaky health nut like me! Dr. Nicole says BRING OUT THE BOG WATER!

#5 Heart Healthy Herbal Cocktails. I previously wrote an article sharing my favorite recipes  for mixing pure fruit juice with herbal teas, also a fantastic way to get herbal medicine in to small kids. Have fun experimenting and come up with your own special “house blend.” At my house you will get the latest herbal tea I am testing iced with a splash of pomegranate juice to sweeten….actually I just like to do that because I only drink things that are pink. *wink* Hibiscus flowers will make your tea pink too.

Also, here is my Organic Sports Drink Recipe  for your athletic friends who rode their bikes or jogged over. A home made organic sports drink or packet of Emergen-C should be taken after exercise to replete electrolytes lost in sweating.

Kids playing outside will need this, or you can just give them some watermelon, cucumber clices, cantaloupe or other “Nature’s Gator-aid.” Teach them that most of the sports drinks we buy are complete crap full of high fructose corn syrup, food colorings, and other junk we don’t need to be athletes. Keep it simple. Keep it pure.

#6 Top Shelf Vodka. You can make a “Pomtini” by shaking ice, vodka, and pomegranate juice in your martini shaker, or you can buy a flavored vodka and drink what I call my “Supermodel Cocktail” of Raspberry Stoli and Soda (that is calorie free carbonated water NOT tonic or sweetened soda) with a squeeze of lime.

Remember only 1-2 drinks per day, and always have a designated driver when consuming any amount of alcohol. I don’t just recommend top shelf liquor because I am a yuppie snob, but because top shelf is “cleaner” - meaning less other crap to clog up your liver aside from the ethanol it is forced to detox.

#7 Organic Beer. A beer or two is always good for family functions and there are many good organic beers out there. I’m not a beer drinker so I can’t recommend one, but you can do your part by visiting your local whole food market and picking up a six pack. Leave a comment on this article with your favorite!

Remember, we are already burdening the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of our hepatic lobules by asking our liver to detox ethanol….so the least work the liver has to do the better. I like less work don’t you? Well so does your liver. That is why we should GO ORGANIC in our cocktail choices. Dr. Nicole says you can drink one to two organic beers a day. Now put that on a T-shirt. He he.

#8 Dr. Nicole’s Smoothie. Here is the recipe to my favorite anti-aging smoothie. You can serve this up to guests or drink it in front of them. Modeling healthy behavior is the simplest way to teach. Kids naturally want to do what you are doing if they think you are cool. Always make being healthy look as cool as possible! Drinking smoothies is the stylish thing to do as well as an efficient way to hoark some fruit down.

#9 Organic Coffee. As I mentioned in my “Perfect Latte” recipe using my favorite Vanilla Almond Breeze. Coffee is actually quite healthy for us, and has been shown to prevent Parkinson’s. I am happy to do my part and drink two cups a day to prevent Parkinson’s.

#10 Chamomile Tea. An herbal sedative is always great for those visiting a house full of screaming kids. Passionflower tea is also delicious! Check out my article on “The Fifteen Most Fabulous Herbal Sedatives” to discover your own favorite calming house blend. There are also many wonderful caffeine free herbal blends out there for those that don’t do caffeine. Start experimenting until you find a few that you love and consider those your personal signature “herbal house blends.”

So there you have it - the healthiest hospitality drinks! This is why my Uncle Ron is such the ladies man and everyone just can’t get enough of him! Thanks Uncle Ron for always being there for me for all the big and little stuff in my life. Thank you for always making me laugh, for making me feel welcome in your home, and of course for making sure my cup is always FULL. You are the best. Now go tell Aunt Brenda how lucky she is. Much Love and Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to Everyone! Remember even if you aren’t someone’s immediate dad, it doesn’t mean you can’t have an inspirational impact on a child’s life. I am thankful for all my “Dads.”

Thanks for stopping by my Kitchen Table!
Dr. Nicole

I have had a frustrating time with Kitchen Table Medicine lately, and have decided to interview Dr. Joseph Mercola, someone who is a terrific mentor to me and the author of the #1 Natural Medicine News source on the internet.

I am always inspired by his writings, and impressed when he lashes out against mainstream medicine with opinions similar to mine. Opinions that always tend to generate a great deal of hate mail.

If you enjoy what you read here at the Kitchen Table, feel free to stop by and subscribe to Mercola.com as we both are fighting the same cause: disease prevention through a whole food diet and lifestyle. It is one of my greatest honors to bring to the Kitchen Table Osteopathic Physician, Dr. Joseph Mercola:

What is an Osteopathic Physician?

A D.O., or an osteopathic physician, is in many ways similar to an M.D.  A D.O. completes four years of medical school after college, and completes three to eight year residency programs in the specialty they choose. D.O.’s are fully trained and qualified physicians who are licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery in every state in the U.S.

Philosophically, D.O.’s differ from M.D.’s in that they have more of an emphasis on holistic approaches, and recognize the importance of musculoskeletal alignment and balance to health. In addition to identical two years of basic medical science, they also learn skeletal adjustments, similar to chiropractors.

On a practical level, the drug companies have effectively penetrated the profession, just as they have the M.D.’s, so in reality there are not many differences between the two.

The only practical difference I have observed is that there is typically a difference in the selection process of students that are accepted into the school, as they tend to focus on qualities other than academic credentials that would result in caring and compassionate physicians.

So while the treatment recommendation from D.O.’s and M.D.’s will be very similar, it has been my experience that a higher percentage of people will enjoy their interaction with an osteopathic physician.

How do Osteopaths address and treat symptoms?

Since I really don’t perceive a practical difference on the therapies that are recommended by an M.D. or D.O., I typically advise patients seeking a natural medicine physician to go several health food stores in their area, and ask for the best medical doctor they know, as the people that work in the stores typically have a fairly good sense of who the best local physicians are.

There are too many variables to give a broad recommendation. In my experience most of the important ones are related to personality characteristics rather than actually knowledge.

In your opinion How do Osteopaths differ from Naturopaths?

Firstly, there are two types of naturopaths:

1. Those that receive training in an accredited four year medical college and, like D.O.’s, have full license to practice medicine in a few states (unfortunately there are not many states that provide them these practicing privileges.)
2. Those who attend a correspondence school.

Unfortunately they are both given the same degree, even though there is typically a vast difference in the level of expertise between the two.

ND’s from either training can be outstanding, but if you were looking at it from a probability perspective there is a far higher percentage that an ND trained at a four year college would be superior.

However, even with the four year trained NDs, they are very weak on post graduate training and most of them tend to begin practice immediately after their four years of training. There are very few that complete residency training programs.

Most D.O.’s have an additional 3 to 8 years of post graduate residency training. This does not necessarily make them better physicians, but D.O.’s do have more formal clinical training.

What are your favorite tips for disease prevention?

1. Optimize your vitamin D levels, ideally from appropriate sun exposure.

2. Address your emotional traumas.

3. Eat the right fats.

4. Eat plenty of raw food.

5. Control your insulin and leptin levels.

For more information about Dr. Mercola or to set up an appointment, visit www.Mercola.com

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table, and many thanks to Dr. Mercola for taking the time to continue to inspire me.

Dr. Nicole Sundene

The other day I joked on Twitter, “Oh my gosh I got so busy Twittering I forgot a baby on the scale! BRB (be right back)” and my doctor and nurse friends all thought that was pretty funny, because some days in a family practice or pediatrics setting we get so busy we literally feel like this.

Don’t worry… I am on a break from seeing patients while I prepare to move  down to Arizona.

A decade ago, I spent my first week medical assisting in pediatrics for the hospital, I weighed and measured so many babies that I would have nightmares that one would roll off the counter and fall on the floor. I would wake up in a panicked cold sweat from the new responsibility of parents entrusting the care of their precious child in my hands.

If you have spent years of your life doing Well Child Checks, measuring and weighing babies, determining what is normal and not normal you grow seasoned, and you grow to be more worried for the baby’s of the over-concerned, over-involved parents than those parents that are more nonchalant.

So now when my friends, family, or patients ask me for my most  faboo pediatric advice I now start with the following statement:

“You are going to mess up your baby no matter what so quit fretting about it, have fun being a parent, and just start saving for therapy now!”

Although it is all in good humor, new parents have the most questions, and are the most concerned about making sure they are doing the right thing. This is exemplified perfectly by watching a mom with a new baby versus a seasoned mom with five children….after a while the more experienced mom has to just “let go and let God” to some degree.

So why are we talking about this today? Because in the deep naturopathic therapy I do with patients, the discussion of “core wounds” often comes up. I like to get down to the nitty gritty and delve up the TRUE reason for the overeating, overdrinking, or inability to self care….drink water, eat veggies, exercise and so forth.

What are these “core wounds?”

They are emotional conditioning developed in childhood that follow us around in the form of BAGGAGE as adults and help trigger our daily dramas which then creates more drama. This is evidenced by the fact that some scenarios just don’t upset certain people while others are extremely traumatized. For instance, someone that was sexually molested as a child may find a massage class traumatizing, while others see it as a treat.

So how do we unwittingly cause these “core wounds” to our children?

We give them too much attention or not enough, we let them make all the decisions or we don’t let them make any, we force them to try a new sport or we don’t get them involved with any, we make them sit at the piano with the timer going or we don’t involve them in any creative expressions at all. We force them to go to church six days a week or we don’t give them any form of spiritual enlightenment. We expect them to be “just like us” rather than allowing them to express their authentic self.

Are you all starting to follow the pattern?

It’s the middle path of parenting that is the right way, and trust me it will save you a lot of headaches. Children need to be given choices often…so that when they are told something is, “not a choice,” they are okay with it.

One of my best friends always takes her “me time” with a splash of guilt, referring to herself sarcastically as “Mother of the Year,” but I think that every parenting relationship needs a healthy balance of “me time” and kid time….basically it goes back to the same old adage that we need to fasten our oxygen masks first…which is why I WOULD absolutely nominate her for the title of “Mother of the Year.”

Many new mothers become so obsessed and worried about their babies that they are scared to even leave the house….scared to let the baby sleep anywhere but right next to them, this overly obsessive behavior is what I call a “Family Medicine Crisis.”

With the divorce rate at 50%, a healthy marriage should always be the priority if you want healthy children. New parents need to set a “date night” six weeks from the day baby is born and commit to leaving the baby with someone….heck leave them with me! I love babies…it’s the toddlers that are terrifying.

I am sure it is tough to leave your baby….but this is tough love and you just HAVE to do it! You can’t let the baby take over your marriage….you can’t let the kids rule your house. They will be happier if they know you are in charge, that their parents are happy and spend time together.  Children need you to model a healthy marriage and staying at home all the time with your children is the fast track to divorce. Children are also a bit like dogs in that they need to know who’s in charge, and that if mom sets a rule - dad enforces it and vice versa.

Most importantly you NEED a break from your children and you need to do it guilt-free. In order to be a good parent you need to get away from them OFTEN, and in an orderly and scheduled fashion. Find neighbors to swap sitting with, ask family members to watch your baby, schedule your grocery shopping to be done without the kids when possible so that you can be at peace while you shop for healthy choices. Everyone in the store will thank you.

Of course you definitely should baby proof your house, and make sure that you are creating a safe environment for your child, as accidents are the leading cause of death in children.

Children need basic boundaries, children need to be told they are loved and hugged, children need to be recognized, they need to be “SEEN” they need you to “SEE” them….even if it is just five minutes of time you spend being present with your child…..a child’s version of “time” is so much different. Think back to how long it used to seem for Christmas or your birthday to roll around…That five minutes of PRESENT attention could be the five minutes that makes the difference and makes your child feel important to you.

Back to the children as dogs model (oh boy I’m sure I’ll get a ton of hate mail for this but bear with me….) when you are present with your children they are confident that someone is in charge….that you are in charge, that you are taking care of them.  Your daily INTENTIONAL acts of presence will save you loads of cash for therapy in the long run. It will also save you the daily headache of having a child that does not feel secure in their environment and their place in the family.  Children will then find your attention (just like dogs…he he) as the greatest reward of all.

Giving them this attention is simple. Every single day make a point to look them square in the eye and tell them how important they are to you, mention all the positives they have done, hug them and tell them you love them. Every single day.

And as for everything else….just leave it up to their future therapist!  *wink*

Everyone starts therapy in their 30’s and 40’s anyway when they finally realize they have been living in a continuously recycled version of their childhood drama. That the behavioral patterns of their teens and twenties are still failing them, that it is time to desensitize oneself from the drama and delve in to the past for a solid “core wound” healing.

~Dr. Nicole

Related reading:

Autism: Eight Questions Dr. Nicole Has For Parents

Children Are Eating Their Weight in Sugar Each Year

55 Healthy and Cheap School Lunch Ideas

Hot Dogs and Childhood Cancer

How to get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman suggested in 1984 that stress can be thought of as resulting from an imbalance between demands and resources, or as occurring when pressure exceeds ones perceived ability to cope.

Stress management was developed and premised on the idea that stress is not a direct response to a stressor, but rather one’s resources and ability to cope and makes changes in his or her life, thus allowing stress to be controllable.

Stress can be good (called eustress) when it helps us perform better, or it can be bad (distress) when it causes upset or makes us sick.

The stress reaction results from an outpouring of adrenaline, a stimulant hormone, into the blood stream when a person is feeling distress. This, with other stress hormones, produces a number of changes in the body which are intended to be protective.

Professionals in the field of psychology have called this outpouring of hormones, the fight-or-flight response because when faced with a stressful situation, a person will either fight or run away from danger.

When encountering stress, a person may experience: an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure (to get more blood to the muscles, brain and heart), faster breathing (to take in more oxygen), tensing of muscles (preparation for action), increased mental alertness and sensitivity of sense organs (to assess the situation and act quickly), increased blood flow to the brain, heart and muscles (the organs that are most important in dealing with danger) and less blood to the skin, digestive tract, kidneys and liver (where it is least needed in times of crisis), an increase in blood sugar, fats and cholesterol (for extra energy), and a rise in platelets and blood clotting factors (to prevent hemorrhage in case of injury).

What are the Common Symptoms of Stress?

Physical: fatigue, headache, insomnia, muscle aches/stiffness (especially neck, shoulders and low back), heart palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trembling, cold extremities, flushing or sweating and frequent colds, decrease in concentration and memory, indecisiveness, mind racing or going blank, confusion, loss of sense of humor, anxiety, nervousness, depression, anger, frustration, worry, fear, irritability, impatience, short temper, pacing, fidgeting, nervous habits (nail-biting, foot-tapping), increased eating, smoking, drinking, crying, yelling, swearing, blaming and even throwing things or hitting.

What Are the Causes of Stress?

Dr. Selye called the causes of stress stressors or triggers. There are two kinds of stressors: external and internal.

External stressors include:
Physical environment: noise, bright lights, heat, confined spaces.

Social interaction: rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of someone

Organizational: rules, regulations, “red tape,” deadlines.

Major life events: death of a relative, lost job, promotion, new baby.

Daily hassles: commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns.

Internal stressors include:

Lifestyle choices: caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule.

Negative self-talk: pessimistic thinking, self-criticism, over-analyzing.

Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all-or-nothing thinking, exaggerating, rigid thinking.

Stressful personality traits: Type A, perfectionist, workaholic, pleaser.

It is important to note that most of the stress that many of us have is actually self-generated. This is a paradox because so many people think of external stressors when they are upset (it is the weather, the boss, the children, the spouse, the stock market). Recognizing that we create most of our own upsets, however, is an important first step to dealing with them.

Read an article on Basic Breathing Exercises to reduce stress

Read all our articles on stress

**Much of this information was prepared by Dr. David B. Posen Lifestyle Counselor and Psychotherapist, and Author of “Always Change a Losing Game”

Oakville, Ontario. Permission has been given for this information to be copied and distributed to patients.

Other information was obtained from:

Lazarus, R.S., and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal and Coping.

For personalized advice for coping with stress you can visit Dr. KC at www.docinthebiz.com

Or alternatively, you must burn more calories from exercise than you consume. Addressing the underlying causes behind poor eating and lifestyle habits is the ONLY way to ensure a healthy and long-term approach to weight loss.

The best approach to weight loss emphasizes lifestyle changes that incorporate whole foods and activity. It is our belief that sustainable changes in dietary and activity patterns can lead to maintainable, long-term weight loss success.

Physical activity guidelines are recommended to complement the nutrition counseling and make this process easier and more productive.

While each person has different needs and will require a custom tailored dietary program, there are some basic concepts that are helpful for most people. A health promoting, weight control diet will be:

• HIGH in fiber-dense carbohydrates found in whole grains, beans, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Also, it is important to drink plenty of water (approximately 2 quarts per day).

• MODERATE in fish and chemical-free lean meats (chicken, and turkey).

• LOW in red meat, animal fats, hydrogenated oils, full-fat dairy products, pre-packaged, processed, and refined foods, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.

General Tips
• Set a realistic weight loss goal, usually 1 to 2 pounds per week is recommended.
• Balance food intake with activity. The most successful weight loss programs combine increased activity with decreased caloric intake.

Tips to Increase the Amount of Physical Activity in a Day:
• Try some group activity classes at the local gym, fitness center, or swimming pool.
• Work out with family, friends, or neighbors. Motivation is increased with partners.
• Take a walk at lunchtime.
• Use a bike to run local errands and go for pleasure rides.
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk to the bus stop or work
• Park the car a few blocks away and walk.
• Dance to some favorite music at home or sign-up for a series of classes.

Tips to Reduce the Quantity of Food Eaten:
• Plan and prepare meals ahead of time.
• Identify foods that are often over consumed and set limits, or avoid.
• Identify and limit problem foods.
• Eat small, frequent meals and healthful snacks.
• Eat slowly and savor each mouthful. Allow 20-30 minutes for each meal, rest, set the fork down, and/or converse between bites. Chew the food well.
• Wait 10-15 minutes before taking a second helping.
• Serve food on a smaller plate.
• Drink two glasses of water or a cup of hot tea 30 minutes before meals to reduce appetite.
• Postpone a desired snack for at least 10 minutes. It may be helpful to take a walk, get some fresh air, drink a cup of water or tea, or take a short nap during this time.
• At restaurants eat half of the portion and take the rest home. Prepackage the food to go before starting the meal.
• Nurture with nonfood related activities, such as a hot bubble bath or a massage, developing a hobby, relaxing with a good book, or listening to some music.

Tips to Eliminate Eating Cues that Promote Overeating:
• Designate a specific place in the home to eat, preferably the kitchen or dining room. Eat snacks and meals only when sitting down at this place.
• Avoid watching TV, talking on the phone, reading, or driving while eating. This will help increase the awareness of fullness.
• Do the grocery shopping on a full stomach to decrease impulse buys.
• Create a schedule for eating. Plan meals and snacks at regular intervals, including the types of food to be eaten.
• Carry food to work or when going out, to eliminate long periods without eating.
• To prevent visual food distractions, keep all food stored in the kitchen cupboards or refrigerator, rather than out on the counter.
• Read or listen to motivational books, join a support group, or consider seeing a therapist to help with any emotional issues involving food, eating, and/or weight loss.

Diet, activity, and emotional work can provide feelings of health and wellness, which establish new patterns that support and nurture the body.

Think well! Eat well! Be well!

Related reading:

Why You Should Invest in Fitness

Are You on the Sumo Wrestler Diet?

Rock it - Pilgrim Style

How to Eat Healthy While Traveling

6 Steps to Calorie Counting in Your Kitchen

With 1/3 of Americans obese, every month is now “Weight Loss Month” at the kitchen table!

It may be acceptable for me to hide in a Snuggie like I did on Mother’s Day, but I am moving down south to Arizona and need to tone up FAST! Here are some of my favorite weight loss tips and tricks:

• Best Alternative Medicine Plan for Weight Loss
• Know your fat burning zone so your exercise counts.
• Ride the Wave or find a new fun toy to help you burn a few extra calories and stretch out those hips from sitting around the office all day.
• Sleep: Studies show if you don’t get enough sleep that is a cause for weight gain, and during these “Tough Economic Times” we need to use all the freebies we can snatch up!
• Calcium: Are you getting enough calcium? Research supports calcium supplementation for weight loss. Woo hoo!! This is a simple and cheap thing we should be taking anyway. I am not a fan of calcium carbonate as commonly used in many antacids, because we actually need acid to absorb our minerals, therefore I prefer calcium citrate. Non-menopausal adult women should get about 1200mg in daily divided doses to prevent osteoporosis and help control weight.
• Fiber: Best source for fiber is fruits and veggies. I also use these chewable fiber tablets by Enzymatic Therapy, add ground flaxseeds to smoothies, and typically don’t recommend psyllium fiber as it can make some people really gassy….especially if I have to be around them!
• Chomium Picolinate: To help balance cravings try 200mcg of chromium twice daily.
• Multivitamin: If you are restricting your diet be sure to make sure all your bases are covered by taking a high quality multivitamin.
• Make a Zero Zone: Your fridge feng shui is Uber important. Zero calories and guilt free snacks like fruits and veggies should be readily available and accessable. Hide the non-whole food treats for the “out of site out of mind” benefit.
• Make it a Gym Date: Whether catching up with a girlfriend over the stairmaster, or strutting your stuff on an actual date at the gym, suggest healthy alternatives to the typical dates that consist of sitting around and overeating, overdrinking, and over-overing in the Standard American Diet (SAD) fashion.
• Reading: Join our book club just by staying tuned, or subscribed. Bobbie Laing will be writing about many different genres between self help books, engaging novels, and so forth. When we have a quiet night reading, we are nurturing that within us that is stressed and needs to be calm while avoiding television ad brainwashing.

Read More: Weight Loss category

Is your home drinking water safe?

I was a little shocked to find out that mine had toxic LEAD in it, after using eVitamins Water Safe Drinking Water Test. I knew the chlorine would be in there because I can taste the difference, but the lead was a bit of an unpleasant surprise.

Although we have done away with lead pipes and lead paint since the 1980’s, many fixtures are still partially made of lead, and this toxic metal that causes anemia, decreased neurological functioning, and immune dysfunction should be filtered out!

I realized that my Aquasana filter was indeed doing me a great deal of good, and that I needed to also start giving my parade of pets safe filtered water too. It is worth the extra few minutes a day it takes to fill up their water bowls. Pets are especially susceptible to environmental toxins.

Sometimes I worry as a Naturopathic Physician that I am over-paranoid about toxins in our environment, so the  Biochemist in me grabbed this test kit over at eVitamins to see if maybe I didn’t need to be so paranoid after all.

Now I know why most patients I’ve tested for heavy metals in Seattle consistently show high lead and mercury levels.  We are drinking poison! I wish mercury was included in this test kit, but most high quality filters also filter mercury out of our water as well as other toxic substances such as pesticides, bacteria, chlorine and so forth.

I like the simple Aquasauna filters that can be added to your kitchen sink. Don’t forget the shower filter too, or you can filter the water straight at it’s source with a whole home water filter (somewhat expensive but highly recommended for those with chronic disease or small children constantly bathing in it.)

Since the ONLY thing we should be drinking is WATER (read my “Obesity Tax on Soda” tirade for more info) you CAN afford a water filter when you give up soda and  juice.  Filtering the toxins out at the kitchen sink is the most economic way to go. Save  your favorite glass  jars and fill them in lieu of plastic bottles. Be cool….be a “jar drinker” like me! You can also use stainless steel containers for small children that should not be trusted with glass, such as my fav brand I can guarantee is aluminum free: Klean Kanteen.

You should especially purchase this Water Safe Test Kit if you have developing children in your home, suffer from chronic disease, or if your water has a funky odor. Water should never have an odor!

Dr. Nicole

Related reading:

Detoxify Your Home

Mold: Getting Rid of it in Your Home

Decreasing Home Pollutants

Chlorine Shower Filter: Anti-Aging

Liver Support Protocol

The combination of a low-saturated-fat, total-fat, and low-cholesterol diet, physical activity, and weight control can have many positive effects on overall health.

In addition to lowering the “bad” LDL cholesterol, they can raise the “good” HDL cholesterol.

The body naturally makes cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is found in foods that contain animal products (butter, milk, cheese, chicken, beef, eggs, etc.). Plant products do NOT contain cholesterol. There are many good things cholesterol does in the body, including:

• Acts as a building block for hormones
• Is an important constituent of bile, which helps digest fat
• Helps maintain the integrity of cell membranes

Why is LDL cholesterol considered “bad”?

When too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. That is why LDL is often called “bad” cholesterol.

Why is HDL cholesterol considered “good”?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol because a high level of it seems to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body. Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaque in arteries, thus slowing the build-up.

Cholesterol Targets

• Total Cholesterol Should Be Less than 200 mg/dL
• 200-239 mg/dL is Borderline high
• 240 mg/dL and above is High

LDL Cholesterol

• Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal
• 100-129 mg/dL is near optimal
• 130-159 mg/dL borderline high
• 160-189 mg/dL is high
• 190 mg/dL and above is very high

HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less that 40 mg/dL is low and it increases risk for heart disease.

*Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

Fiber is VERY important to any cholesterol lowering plan.

What is fiber?

Fiber is a substance found only in plants, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. The part of the plant fiber that you eat is called dietary fiber and is an important part of a healthy diet. Dietary fiber is made up of two main types–insoluble and soluble. Both types of fiber are important to our health and aid in weight loss.

What is the difference between insoluble and soluble fiber?

Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber does not. Insoluble fiber passes through your digestive tract largely intact. Both types of fiber are important in the diet and provide benefits to the digestive system by helping to maintain regularity. Soluble fiber has some additional benefits to heart health.

What are some good sources of soluble fiber?

Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, certain fruits, and psyllium (pronounced sil’e-um). Psyllium is a grain that is found in some cereal products, in certain dietary supplements, and in certain bulk fiber supplements.

What are the benefits of soluble fiber?

In additional to the digestive system benefits mentioned above, soluble fiber contributes to delayed emptying of the stomach which contributes to early fullness and decreased appetite. Soluble fiber has been scientifically proven to reduce blood cholesterol levels, which may help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Tips to increase fiber:

• Increase vegetable consumption to at least three, 1-cup servings per day.
• Increase fruit consumption to at least two servings per day (½ cup canned or 1 piece fresh equals a serving).
• Increase whole grain consumption to at least four, ½ cup servings per day. This includes oats, brown rice, bran, quinoa, barley and whole wheat (choose whole grains products).
• Eat legumes daily (try bean dips or spreads such as hummus or black bean dip).
• Snack on air-popped popcorn (sprinkle your popcorn with nutritional yeast and sea salt as a yummy alternative to butter).
• Add oatmeal, oat bran, wheat germ, or rice bran to hot cereal, yogurt, meat loaf, meatballs or hamburgers (remember animal products do not contain fiber).
• Substitute whole grain flour for white flour in baking recipes.
• If currently eating a low fiber diet, it is suggested to gradually increase fiber intake and drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses per day) to avoid discomfort and gas that can occur with a sudden increase in fiber.

Read more articles on cholesterol

Sources: American Dietetic Association

http://www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/Tipsheets/solfiber.htm

I won’t even pretend to be an expert on autism, but since this great group of autism blogging moms found me here at the kitchen table, I have a few questions of my own….

Below is a brief interview I did with one parent of a child diagnosed with autism, and if you would like to copy and paste the questions in to the comments section and share your own answers either anonymously or publicly it would greatly help me while I research the latest biochemistry on autism, vaccines, diets, vitamins, low homocysteine, and so forth.  Also other doctors and health care professional subscribed to my website will benefit.

Please share any other info you think would be helpful beyond my very basic questions, please by all means do so…I sincerely believe that the parents are the experts on this topic and even though April is “Autism Awareness Month,” author Tara McClintick and I decided that autism continues 365 days a year….so we are going to keep talking about this important and ever growing “epidemic” at the kitchen table.

#1 Did you have a difficult time getting pregnant?

Yes. We were childless for 9 years and I had two or three unsuccessful cervical bypass procedures. I also had one ectopic pregnancy prior to the birth of my daughter. I did manage to get pregnant on my own without drugs or other procedures. I was 29 when she was born.

#2 Was the pregnancy complicated or simple?

Very simple. Very little morning sickness, nothing major.

#3 Any problemss at birth?

Not at all. However, I was induced and was in labor for almost 17 hours.

#4 Normal APGARS?

Yes.

#5 Did your child exhibit any signs or symptoms before diagnosis physical or otherwise?

Yes. She was unable to nurse (could not latch on). She had poor eye contact, few words by age 2, echolalia when she did speak, repetitive behavior (such as stacking books), wandering, not pointing, not always responding to her name, sensory sensitivity, tantruming

#6 Was the onset around the time of the MMR vaccine?

I don’t recall when this vaccine was administered, but we definitely knew there was something wrong by about 18 months.

#7 Was your child vaccinated on a full schedule or partial schedule?

Full, at least I think so. She was vaccinnated as the schedule required in 1997-98.

#8 Any other factors going on with the family before or at the time of onset?

No.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table to share your story.

Related reading:

Autism Awareness Month

Autism: 10 Strategies for Implementing Diet Changes

The Autism Diet Connection

Autism: 10 Tips for Everyone

Having an alternative medicine plan in store before allergy season sets in full force will save you time, medication, and misery in the long run.

First I will be discussing how to get your body in optimal conditioning to cope with allergy season, and then I will discuss specific natural medicines that will help support your immune system to reduce the overall severity of seasonal allergies. If you always tend to be “sick” the months of March, April, May and September you more likely have seasonal allergies than a bad cold.

Now is a great time to do a SPRING CLEANING. Having a healthy liver aids the detoxification of histamine, that nasty molecule that gives us the irritating symptoms of allergies.

Seventy percent of our immune system smartly surrounds our gut and is formally known as GALT “Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue”. If the immune system is already stressed from reacting improperly to foods it will affect the body’s ability to cope with the added burden of seasonal allergies.

The take home message is to just cut back on wheat and dairy during allergy season as they are the typical “worst offenders” for most. Citrus, peanuts, corn, soy, tomatoes, red meat, sugar and processed foods seem to also cause trouble for those with seasonal allergies. Before allergy season starts is a great time to do an ALLERGY ELIMINATION DIET, or simply reduce those foods that you already are aware make you more congested or symptomatic during this time.

Foods as medicine: Increase onions and garlic for quercetin and sulfur levels. Eat Alaskan Wild salmon as often as possible for the anti-inflammatory benefits of the Omega 3’s and increase green leafy vegetables as much as possible to aid the livers role in the detoxification of histamine. Switch to a Whole Foods Diet.

According to Chinese Medicine Theory people have allergies because they are “living too far away from the earth”. Now I doubt they mean that you are living on Jupiter, I am most certain they are referring to a diet high in preservatives and white flours, over-processed refined foods and artificial sweeteners and other chemicals.

Quercetin: Stabilizes the “Mast Cells” of our immune system and prevents their cell membranes from degranulating and releasing histamine in to the system. Histamine is what makes us cough, sneeze, itch and have watery eyes. Typically two 500mg capsules twice daily is a sufficient dose.

Severe allergy sufferers also run quercetin in their Neti Pot to reduce the inflammation of the nasal membranes. Quercetin is a relatively benign substance that can be used in higher doses if need be, just check with your Naturopathic Physician before doing so.

Vitamin C: Supports the immune system and the functioning of quercetin. Typical dose is 500mg three times daily. You can also take it to bowel tolerance when sick or excessively symptomatic.

Freeze Dried Nettles Leaf: Has been shown to be extremely helpful during allergy season. Typical dose is two 500 mg capsules twice daily. Nettles are a nutritive “food” that will build the body up. Using foods as medicines is always optimal to prescribing antihistamines. If need be you can take up to 4 grams of nettles which is equivalent to eight 500mg capsules! I am not recommending taking that many capsules; I am simply trying to demonstrate how safe nettles are as an herbal medicine.

Research has also shown nettles to be helpful for osteoarthritis, myalgia, detoxification and eczema. If you choose to make a tea from the fresh plant, be sure to wear gloves when harvesting so as not to get stung! The leaves are the medicine in this case; the root of this plant is used for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Nettle is not to be used by those on anti-coagulant “blood thinning” drugs.

Neti Pot: Doing a couple solid Neti Pot sessions a day is one of the best, cheapest remedies for seasonal allergy sufferers that tend to frequently develop sinus infections. The gentle saline flush of the nasal passages has a three fold benefit. First we are tonifying the mucous membranes that line the passages, second we are washing out residual phlegm (aka-snot- aka the breeding ground for bacteria and viruses that cause sinus infections).

As an added bonus during allergy season you are flushing out the pollens formally known as “antigens” that are causing our immune systems to over react and produce sneezing, itching and watery eyes. Plan to do two Neti pots a day so that you will at least remember to do one. Be sure to check with your doctor before treating yourself with home remedies especially if you are taking medications or suffer from a health condition.

Household: You may want to consider investing in a HEPA air filter to reduce the total level of allergens you are exposed to in your home. Also, when returning home for the day be sure to take off your shoes so you don’t track the pollen throughout your house. Shower and change your clothes after going outside, if that is not an option, at least try to rinse off your hands and face to remove as much pollen as possible.

So there you have the basics to get started. Stay tuned seasonal allergy sufferers spring has hit and I will be walking everyone through how to naturally cope with allergies and their concomitant annoying friends “acute and chronic sinusitis”. Feel free to leave your allergy season questions in the comments and I will briefly answer them or post a formal answer in an upcoming blog article!

~Dr. Nicole

Author: Dr. Nicole Sundene

Resources: Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth by Tilgner; Medical Herbalism by Hoffman; The Web that has No Weaver; Textbook of Natural Medicine by Pizzorno and Murray; The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia by Wood; Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch; Food Allergies and Food Intolerances by Brostoff.

One day a student from UW Med School followed me around on my Bastyr Internship Rounds and said, “is being a Naturopathic Doctor all about fish oil and probiotics?”

To which I responded, “pretty much.”

As much as this is a little tongue in cheek humor for my colleagues, I hope you all will be reminded of the pillars of health.

Plus I don’t have all the time in the world to nag everyone on the planet so here is how you can help Dr. Nicole on her nagging mission:

#1 Tell everyone to investigate and TREAT THE ROOT CAUSE of their health problem. Remember that “Disease is Our Teacher” and symptoms are the only way the body can send messages that something has gone haywire.

#2 Nag everyone to eat a Whole Foods Diet. Processed foods were soooooooooooooo 1980’s. Whole Organic foods are the new millennium. McInflammation is NOT your friend! Don’t be cast to the wayside and don’t believe that the FDA is actually in your best interest when they approve food additives that have never even been tested on human beings. Be sure to also recommend Flavonoid rich foods like berries, chocolate, tea, and red wine; high in antioxidants to prevent free radical damage and inflammation. It is really quite simple to prevent aging, which is essentially cellular DNA damage. If that makes no sense just trust me on this one.

#3 Tell everyone they need probiotics because without healthy gut flora their immune system cannot properly function. Because 70% of our immune system surrounds our Gut also known as GALT (Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue) when we over use and mis-use antibiotics we are not only causing antibiotic resistance, we are using broad spectrum antibiotics to that subsequently KILL off the good bugs living in your gut leaving yeast and possible pathogens to proliferate. Always re-seed the gut flora after a round of antibiotics.

#4 Nat everyone they need fish oil or flax oil or both! Omega 3’s are the new BLACK. Also remind them that the new more fashionable BUTTER is GREEN….OLIVE OIL should be used whenever cooking under 320F and Canola Oil (cold pressed) should be used for higher temps.

#5 Tell everyone they need more sleep.
We regenerate our tissues and detox BEST when we are asleep.

#6 Nag everyone that needs to lose weight that they need to lose weight.

#7 Tell everyone to exercise and get outside for twenty minutes of sunshine on their hands and face to get the needed vitamin D.

#8  Nag everyone they need to manage stress better and BREATHE in to their bellies. Now teach them Square Breathing or Five Minutes to Zen.

#9 Tell everyone they need counseling to work on their “issues” if you don’t have “issues” you are probably just in denial about them…..like me *stops writing to ferociously wash hands for the 100th time today*….just kidding…but seriously no one is “issue free.” Food is here to nourish us not nurture us, and if we have issues with eating a diet that supports the “Unleashing of our Inner Fabulosity” then they need to get counseling. Revert back to rule #1…Treat the Cause. Holding on to all of our old baggage is alot of work, maybe we should consider “Letting Go”which often entails forgiveness towards ourselves and others. No one is perfect.

#10 When all else fails, recommend an Allergy Elimination Diet to see if a certain food or food additive is the cause of the problem.

Remember “Progress not perfection” this simple list of ten tips to a healthier you, can easily improve your foundation and pillars to health. I will also be walking everyone through the allergy elimination diet next month since Farmer’s Market Fruits and Veggies should be ubiquitous!

While of course this article has my per usual DRY humor added to it, and of course there is a difference between Naturopaths and Naturopathic Physicians (I am not saying you can be a physician in ten simple steps, and I don’t have a problem with “naturopaths,” I just want people to understand there is a big difference!) Naturopathic Physicians typically have the same licensure privileges as Family Physicians.

I have found my family and friends spreading my nagging love throughout the world and I really appreciate it. My sister has become a naturopath vicariously and thinks that everyone should just get off wheat and dairy, take fish oil and probiotics.

So Nag away my dear friends and readers! Thanks for stopping by my Kitchen Table!

~Dr. Nicole

Have a simple healthy tip? Feel free to leave your remark or link in the comments section.

I had to “product test” Safeway.com’s option to have groceries delivered and was quite pleased by the experience!

First of all let’s give mad Props to delivery man Jeff that was friendly and walked me through the process, suggesting that in the future I click the option to allow for substitutions because if I don’t want it he’ll just take it back to my local Safeway and refund my account.

Jeff gets a gold star for not taking my tip as well, since I hadn’t ordered groceries online before I wasn’t sure what kind of tip I should give and all my friends that I consulted with weren’t sure either. So I just handed him the tip and asked, “for future reference what do people normally tip you for your service?”

To which he replied, “we don’t accept tips.” Pheew! Okay that disaster was everted and I had also saved another few bucks to boot! It is also nice to know that there are still some honest people out there these days.

BONUSES OF SHOPPING ONLINE:

• No people in my way
• No waiting in lines
• No pointless small talk with strangers
• No impulse shopping
• No screaming children…yes I still scream and cry when I don’t get the candy I want…. *wink*

The nice thing about Safeway grocery delivery is that you can also have groceries sent to sick or elderly friends that are shut in, or low on funds…a “care package” for your broke college kids!

It is also simple to use their site and search for the latest deals as they come up!

I found many of the organic and natural products I frequently use on sale and was given the Buyers Club discount.

Most of the produce I buy are from the Farmers Market near my house so I just need the basic staples. But, I found some good deals online at Safeway too and the search function makes it virtually impossible to mess up!

As I said earlier, I found it much less tempting to impulse shop online, and it was easier to find the deals and check them out, since they pop up as the top choice.

My overall grocery “cybertrip” was only about half of what I normally pay due to lack of impulse shopping.

Online shopping may be a great way for people to lose weight as they distance themselves from the immediacy of food and impulse shopping.

Remember if you have a sick or shut in friend or relative you can always tell them you would be happy to have some groceries delivered. This is thoughtful and easy thanks to Safeway.com! Act like it is no big deal because you get it free from work or something. People are proud, but they are also grateful.

Which is why we all need to adopt the homeless, weak, and elderly in need around us and consider what true poverty, loneliness, sickness, and isolation is.

Of course I had to product test this before I could recommend it, and was certainly happy to because….

Grocery store shoppingis the Trifecta of everything I detest (had to use that because I gave up the Hate for 2008)

In conclusion I was delighted to beta test this whole Safeway delivery thing my friend has been bragging about for five years. We have it set up as an an affiliate program so if you click through any Safeway banners (of just book mark) this page we get a small donation which helps us unleash the inner fabulosity of our free healthy breaking news and nags!

Thanks for your purchases!

Dr. Nicole

Feeding our children should be about choosing first foods, messy bibs, and learning to use a cup - not keeping tabs on scientifc research to avoid harmful chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA).

We want EWG at the table, advocating for our kids - and yours - so their health is no longer compromised by toxic chemicals like BPA, which is dangerous to kids’ growing bodies, implicated in diseases and problems such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological disorders, and cancer.

Join us in supporting EWG Action Fund and protecting our families from BPA.

We’re impressed by EWG’s track record
We promote EWG because they work long, hard, and smart to pass strong laws that protect American families from chemicals like BPA.

Plus, their cutting-edge research and constant presence in Congress has played a major role in some important wins:

Six U.S. baby bottle makers agreed to stop making their polycarbonate (#7) plastic products with BPA.
CT, NJ, and MN have passed statewide BPA legislation aimed at protecting children and families.

There’s a lot of work left:

BPA remains in the lining of aluminum baby formula cans and many other food and drink containers. We’re grateful that EWG is working on important legislation in California and Washington, DC that would virtually eliminate BPA from baby feeding products.

Now is absolutely the time to contribute to EWG. They need your support to work against the well-funded chemical lobby and eliminate BPA as a threat to our children.

Join us today in supporting EWG Action Fund. We’re glad they’re on our side - and want them to stay there. Visit EWG.org for more information!

~Dr. Nicole

Although Naturopath’s are licensed to prescribe medications, most follow a “Therapeutic Order” which involves using therapeutic diet and lifestyle improvements along with other complimentary medicine modalities such as herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, and other low intervention therapeutics to help the body achieve a better state of balance. Drugs may be prescribed temporarily, or as a last resort solution.

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct form of primary health care. True licensed “Naturopathic Physicians” have completed eight years of medical training along with a two year medical internship. Naturopathic physicians are primary health care practitioners, whose diverse techniques include both modern and traditional methods of treatment.

The principles of naturopathic medicine are part of what distinguishes the naturopathic approach to health care from the conventional approach; and are based on objective observation of the nature of health and disease. The following principles are the foundation of naturopathic medical practice:

The Healing Power of Nature Vis Medicatrix Naturae
Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self healing process in the body which is ordered and intelligent. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to recovery and to facilitate and augment this healing ability

First Do No Harm Primum Non Nocere
Naturopathic medicine follows three principles to avoid harming the patient: 1) utilize methods and medical substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects; 2) avoid, when possible, the harmful suppression of symptoms; 3) acknowledge and respect the individual’s healing process, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat illness

Find the Cause Tolle Causam
Underlying causes of illness must be identified and removed before complete recovery can occur. The naturopathic physician seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than to eliminate or merely suppress symptoms

Treat the Whole Person
Naturopathic physicians treat each individual by taking into account physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and other factors. Since total health also includes spiritual health, naturopathic physicians encourage individuals to pursue their personal spiritual development.

Prevention
Naturopathic physicians emphasize disease prevention, assessment of risk factors and hereditary susceptibility to disease and making appropriate interventions to prevent illness. Naturopathic medicine strives to create a healthy world in which humanity may thrive

Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
The original meaning of the word “doctor” is teacher. One of the main objectives of naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient and emphasize self –responsibility for health. Naturopathic physicians also acknowledge the therapeutic value of the doctor-patient relationship.

Wellness
Wellness follows the establishment and maintenance of optimum health and balance. Wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought and action. Wellness is inherent in everyone, no matter what des-ease(s) is/are being experienced. If wellness is really recognized and experienced by and individual, it will more quickly heal a given dis-ease than direct treatment of the dis-ease alone. (This principle was adopted by Bastyr University and added to the original six principles)

Read all our articles on Naturopathic Medicine Theory

Resources
1. Bastyr University 2001 / 2002 catalog

Our own “Doc Martin” - Eric Martin, Acupuncturist and master herbalist, will be leading herb walks at this year’s 11th Annual Bastyr Herb Fair! I probably won’t be there because I don’t like crowds of people… and already know it all! (Just kidding). Anyway, this is a fun free time for friends and family.

Be sure to try the acupressure foot path! I plan to talk about how to make your own foot path soon. It is pretty simple - anyone who can pour a cement path can do it. You just need to stick some smooth river rocks about halfway in to properly massage the feet.

This is a great opportunity learn a bit more about herbs!

Related reading:

What is Acupuncture?

The Fifteen Most Fabulous Herbal Sedatives

Foxglove: Poisonous or Life Saving?

What is a Weed?

Rosemary for Remembrance

Dandelions: Love your Liver

The Healing Power of Stinging Nettles

As a physician, I don’t encourage drinking alcoholic beverages in the early stages of the gluten-free diet—please give your gut time to heal before adding alcohol to your diet. However, consumption of alcoholic beverages can be part of a healthful gluten-free diet for many, so long as the beverages chosen are gluten-free and consumed in moderation.

There is no one definition of “moderation”, but generally the term is used to describe a lower risk pattern of drinking, as shown in various epidemiological studies.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, drinking in moderation is defined as having no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men. This definition refers to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended to be used as an average over several days.

It can be frustrating trying to find alcoholic beverages that are gluten-free, primarily because alcoholic beverages are not required to display an ingredient label. Because alcohol is not regulated by the FDA, the FDA ingredient labeling requirements do not apply. How do you know if your beverage is gluten-free when there is no label and no ingredient list? It can be tricky!

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is has been petitioning the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Bureau since 2003 to require ingredients and nutrition facts on alcohol labels, but so far, there is no law requiring ingredient lists on alcoholic beverages. You can help your lawmakers understand how important the labeling issue is to people with food sensitivies, check out this petition for more information.

Finding appropriate alcoholic beverages can certainly be a challenge, but Kitchen Table Medicine is here to help! Luckily, there are many choices that ARE gluten-free!

Alright, enough already—WHAT CAN I DRINK?

Previously, persons on the gluten-free diet were advised to consume only pure wine, potato vodka, rum and tequila. This is still good advice, and the safest approach possible, but I believe this approach is overly cautious and unnecessarily limits your choices.

False information about gluten and alcoholic beverages is rife on the internet, so it is easy to become confused. I agree that being cautious is incredibly important when following a strict gluten-free diet, but I also believe that causing unnecessary lifelong restriction of any food is unacceptable!

Newer wisdom on the subject dictates that all distilled liquors are gluten-free, even those derived from a gluten containing grain. Distilled liquors are gluten-free no matter what the original source ingredients are because the distillation process ensures that none of the gluten from the original ingredients can remain in the finished product.

It is reasonable to assume that all pure distilled liquors must therefore be gluten-free. For more information, check out this article on gluten and distillation. The only exceptions to the blanket statement that distilled liquors are all gluten-free are situations in which gluten-containing ingredients are added in after distillation.

I researched rumors about gluten-containing whiskey mash being added in after distillation of whiskey, but found no major manufacturers in the US who report adding gluten-containing mash to the distilled whiskey.

Another potential problem could be liquors in which caramel coloring is added. Caramel coloring may contain gluten, primarily if the ingredient is produced outside the USA, but not always. Thus, many on gluten-free diets may choose to avoid dark colored liquors because caramel coloring may be in the liquor and represent a potential source of gluten.

It is safest to avoid dark colored liquors because without food labels it is difficult, if not impossible, to know if caramel color is used in the liquor, and if so, if the caramel color is gluten-free. Individual consumers may be able to request this information from manufacturers, but most manufacturers are unlikely to promise the product gluten-free because manufacturers in mass-production environments are typically unaware of the source of an ingredient like caramel color.

If gluten-containing caramel color is present in a particular liquor, it is usually found in very small amounts, and people typically consume small amounts of liquor, so the amount of gluten in the alcohol may be negligible. Even so, I still recommend avoiding these suspect beverages as the safest long-term choice of action because there is no way to know how much gluten is in the drink.

I also recommend avoiding most prepared cocktails (strawberry daiquiris, margaritas, mojitos) when out, as the mixes commonly used contain lots of sugar, usually in the form of disgusting high-fructose corn syrup- a non-food best avoided by everyone.

If you want to order one of these cocktails, it is best to ask your bar or restaurant if you can see the ingredients on their mixer before you order. I found that many of my favorite restaurants carry a high-quality mixer made from real juices and pure cane sugar—but you can only get it if you order the “top shelf” drink with more expensive liquor.

If you mix your alcoholic beverage with another beverage, such as soda, tonic water, root beer, orange juice, be sure to check that your mixer is also gluten free. I have listed some popular mixers below, but did not mention sodas or juices. Most sodas and juices are gluten-free, but check the label to be sure.

Gluten-free alcoholic beverage choices- the list below is in alphabetic order.

• Armagnac - made from grapes.
• Beer: most beers contain gluten. However, there are now gluten-free beers on the market!
             Redbridge- easiest to find nationally, produced by Anheiser-Busch.
             Bard’s Tale brand (several varieties, most common is Dragon’s Gold)
             Green’s (several varieties)
• Bourbon - Makers Mark is definitely GF.
• Brandy
• Champagne
• Cider - fermented from apples or other fruits. Some are safe, however, many add barley for enzymes and flavor. Be sure to read labels or contact manufacturer. Spire Ciders are GF.
• Cognac - made from grapes.
• Gin
• Grappa
• Kahlua
• Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur)
• Margarita Mix:
          Jose Cuervo.
          Mr. & Mrs. T.
• Martini: traditional martinis are generally GF. Common mixes:
         Club Extra Dry Martini (corn & grape).
         Club Vodka Martini (corn & grape).
• Mead - distilled from honey.
• Mistico:
         Jose Cuervo Mistico (agave and cane).
• Mixes & Cooking Alcohol:
         Club Tom Collins (corn).
         Dimond Jims Bloody Mary Mystery.
         Holland House - all EXCEPT Teriyaki Marinade and Smooth & Spicy Bloody Mary Mixes.
         Mr. & Mrs. T - all Except Bloody Mary Mix.
         Spice Islands - Cooking Wines - Burgundy, Sherry and White. However, I suggest cooking with REAL wine as cooking wines are poor quality.
         Stirrings- they make a variety of cocktail mixes, higher quality that most mixes.
• Ouzo - made from grapes and anise.
• Rum
• Sake - fermented with rice and Koji enzymes. The Koji enzymes are grown on Miso, which is usually made with barley. The two-product separation from barley, and the manufacturing process should make it gluten-free.
• Scotch Whiskey.
• SherrySparkling Wine
• Tequila
• Vermouth
• Vodka
• Wine - all wines, including port wines and sherry, are gluten-free.
  Wine Coolers: Despite the name, most wine coolers are malt based and contain gluten.
         Bartle & James - wine-based beverages only.
         Boones - wine-based beverages only
• Whiskey- Jack Daniels’ Black Label Whiskey is GF. Maker’s Mark Whiskey is GF. Seagram’s Crown Whiskey is also GF. Other whiskeys likely are, as per previous discussion, however are not confirmed by the manufacturer.

If you have any questions about celiac disease, you are welcome to ask them in the comments section and they will be addressed in future articles.

Dr. Selena Eon practices in Bellevue, WA and you may contact her at
(206) 228-9537 or visit www.drselenaeon.com

Related reading:

Celiac Disease

Eating Gluten-Free on a Budget

Wheat and Gluten-Free Recipes