In Gratitude…

As a not-for-profit organization, we rely on many to make our vision a reality. So many come together to provide our patients with a place of hope, health and healing. Here are just a few we’d like to thank.

All individuals and groups who have donated to our cause through financial support

Arthrits Foundation room rental and collaboration on the Alternative Therapies for Arthritis seminar

Our patients and co-learners who spread the good word about the clinic:

“When patients were encouraged to
be actively involved in learning about
what might be the cause of their distress,
they seemed to gain a greater sense of
control over their own lives and were
more willing to make conscious efforts to
make beneficial lifestyle modifications.
This rotation was overall an extremely
valuable experience for me as a maturing
medical student to recognize the
immense role of nutrition and lifestyle
modifications in disease prevention and
treatment.”

—An observance by a KU medical student during her nutrition elective at the Riordan Clinic, about the Clinic’s fundamental concept of the patient as a co-learner.

Invest in the Vision
Since the Riordan Clinic campus opened nin 1985, the pyramid and geodesic domes have been icons on the Wichita skyline. Co-founders Olive W. Garvey and Dr. Hugh Riordan envisioned creating a wellness facility with a look as unique as the services provided within. The open interiors allow for beneficial air circulation and skylights provide an abundance of natural light.

The one comment we get repeatedly is the need to update the look and feel of the dome interiors. We have listened to you and are planning on upgrading areas where our co-learners are waiting for or are receiving treatments! This is a multistep process.

Our project begins with Dome 1—a layout that is more welcoming, comfortable furnishings for the waiting area, paint, carpet and lighting. The last update in this area was 10 years ago. Once this is completed, our next step will include adding comfortable seating for the Lab Specimen Area and Clinic (Domes 5 and 8).

During 2012, there were 7,530 patient visits by individuals who came seeking help, hope and healing. Participate in this project by making your contribution today!

Contact Paula Smith at 316-682-3100 or psmith@riordanclinic.org for more information. You can make your tax deductible contribution online or by mail to Riordan Clinic, 3100 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.

Holistic Pregnancy:Healthy Diet and Morning Sickness
by Laurie S Roth Donnell, Master Herbalist and Holistic Health Practitioner

Twentieth-century medicine dealt with child health and adult health separately says Dr Jack Shonkoff of Harvard University. What 21st-century medicine is telling us is that if we want to change adult health, we have to look at babies, even before they’re born.

This concept seems to be the essence of the latest scientific research on anti-aging and diseases. Fighting against the diseases of aging begins in the womb during pregnancy. Conception is the beginning of the mother’s opportunity to give her baby the best chance for health. The baby and mom’s bodies begin a communication with one another through hormones, nutrients, and chemicals that travel with the blood flow into the placenta and amniotic fluid in support of the baby’s development.

Many factors contribute to the baby’s development and future health because the mother’s choices are all equally shared by the baby. The mother’s diet tells a fetus a lot about its future environment, including how much and what type of food will be available after birth. Babies conceived during times of famine have a metabolism geared toward hoarding calories and being very thrifty. Once such a child gets on a normal diet they have a propensity to be fat or diabetic. Junk foods and overeating sweets can also predispose the baby for metabolic diseases or food sensitivities and allergies later in life. As a mother, you may want to do your best to eat healthy, natural foods, avoid environmental toxins and exercise as regularly as possible.

The flip side of the diet issue is morning sickness; you must keep down your food and vitamin intake in order to provide the baby nutrients! Morning sickness is something almost everyone associates with pregnancy, yet no one is certain what triggers the nausea. It may be a result of the rapid rise in hormones as the mother’s body begins to work overtime building the baby.

What do you do if you’re so sick you can’t eat well? (Especially when you know how important a good diet is!) Morning sickness is worse on an empty tummy so nibbling a little bit throughout the day is fine. “Grazing” is what many doctors and midwives call it, and if you were eating well before pregnancy, you and your baby are probably fine.

Below are a few holistic suggestions to offer in defense of morning sickness:

An old family favorite—a few salty cracker before you get out of bed in the morning—yes crackers in bed!

Drink a half hour after or before your meals instead of with your meals.

Take a good prenatal vitamin supplement—suggested after your salty cracker.

Chamomile and ginger tea or sucking on ginger lozenges can also be soothing for the nausea.

Snack in the middle of the night. If you are up to go to the bathroom, this can stabilize blood sugar—yes mid-night snacks!

Putting a few drops of an essential oil onto a cloth to carry in your pocket, and inhale the scent if you feel queasy. Lemon and mint oils seem to be favorites, however others find the antiseptic smell of tea tree oil soothing.

Bands designed for seasickness have been reported to help some cases

Lemonade or lemon hard candies may have a soothing affect and are also enjoyable.

As an expectant mother, you are charged with the care and future welfare of this baby; please speak with your primary care provider about natural holistic approaches to your pregnancy before embarking on any new health care regime.
Best health to you and the baby!

Sources:

http://www.naturepurity.com

http://www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com

Contact the author at:
lauriedonnell@hotmail.com

Know Your Nutrients: Prenatal Supplements
by Amanda Hawkinson

It is important for pregnant and breastfeeding women to meet the needs of a growing baby without sacrificing the vitamins, minerals and nutrients their own bodies require. That is where prenatal supplements come in.

Prenatal supplements are multivitamins formulated to deliver the necessary nutrients needed by mother and child and support healthy nervous and immune systems, enhance bone health and maintain energy.

Specific nutrients found in prenatal supplements are as follows:

Folic acid (Folate): Helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. It may also protect the pregnant woman against cancer and stroke.

Iron: Helps the muscles in both mother and baby develop and helps prevent anemia, a condition in which a woman’s red blood cells are too small and too few. It also lowers the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.

Calcium: Helps the nervous, muscular and circulatory systems stay healthy. Not having enough calcium in the bones can cause serious health conditions later in life, such as osteoporosis.

The Riordan Clinic physicians recommend PreNatal Multi-Nutrients by Vital Nutrients, which can be found in our supplement store and online.

Patient Profile: Pregnancy
by Sarah Nosker

For many couples, when a woman is pregnant, those nine months are filled with lots of preparing and planning. So much time is invested in preparing the nursery, shopping for adorable little onesies, reading the latest version of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” and of course, late night runs to the Dairy Queen for a hot fudge sundae.

Now think of all that preparation we do while pregnant; what if we spent just a portion of that amount of time in preparing our bodies for pregnancy? How is getting pregnant any different than preparing for a marathon? You can’t expect to win a race without conditioning the body and preparing it for what’s to come!

One such co-learner came to the Riordan Clinic to do that very thing. She was a healthy, young woman who wanted to conceive. A routine work up by her general physician determined there was no reason she couldn’t get pregnant. The only additional factor to be considered was whether or not she had poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, a disorder that would cause her to have fluid-filled sacs on her ovaries making it hard for them to function properly. She felt the Riordan Clinic could offer the best orthomolecular approach to help her body prepare to conceive.

Upon her initial visit here, the clinic doctor found that though she had a good diet and was at an ideal weight, she had nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that could be contributing to her having not yet achieved pregnancy. She had a deficiency in vitamin D with a level of 19! Anything less than 20 is a sign of significant disease. Vitamin D is crucial for hormone health and immunity. She also was low in folic acid, which is important for DNA replication and cellular health. In addition, she was low in chromium, a mineral important for proper insulin utilization which is a problem when a woman has cysts on the ovaries and can affect fertility. The doctor’s treatment plan included supplementing these items as well as having the patient focus on a whole foods diet as much as possible.

The patient is to have a follow-up appointment in six months to monitor her progress. Stay tuned for a future Health Hunters article, as we hope to be sharing with you another Riordan Clinic success story!

To find out more about how our medical team can help you or to make an appointment, call
316-682-3100 and start your journey to a healthier you.

Cafe Hours 9:00 am – 3:00 pm M–F
Bakery Hours 9:00 am – 3:30 pm M–F
(Located on the lower level of the
Riordan Clinic Supplement Store)

Eating a healthy diet during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. After all, the food you eat is your baby’s main source of nutrition. Smart choices on nutrition can help you promote your baby’s growth and development.

Our focus at Marie’s Café and Bakery is making healthy meals and low sugar treats. Our popular salad bar is open Monday through Wednesday, but we are open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

For a boost of vitamins, Marie suggests her stir fry that is chocked full of fresh vegetables and lean chicken.

Stir Fry
with side salad and drink
$6.75
Offer valid through June 30, 2013. Not valid with any other offer. Excludes tax and gratuity.

“Caring for the whole person has always been our focus.”—Marie Hunt, Owner
Please visit our website for more information. mariescafeandbakery.com

Save 10% on our Nutrition Panel

Advances in medical technology have made it possible to accurately measure nutrient levels in the blood and then make the connection between those levels and how they reflect your state of health. With this ability, physicians and healthcare practitioners are becoming more and more aware of the role nutrients play in growth and development. Testing also helps direct physicians to more effective treatment interventions with little-to-no side effects. For this reason, nutrition based (aka Orthomolecular) medicine is emerging as the future of health care.

The Bio-Center Laboratory Nutrition Panel encompasses over 50 tests that measure your unique biochemical individuality, analyzing the proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, which are essential for healthy growth and development. This panel is designed to offer the necessary information so you may provide the best possible foundation for mental and physical development for yourself and for your family.

Regular: $2459.00
SALE: $2213.00

For more information on pre-conception and other panels call us at 316-684-7784 or
1-800-494-7785.

June Supplement Special

During the month of June take advantage of 20% off of Pregnancy & Child Care Supplements

5MTHF – Methyl Folate
Xymogen
V5MTHF
Reg $17.17
SALE $13.74

PreNatal Multi-Nutrients
Vital Nutrients
VPreNat
Reg $33.92
SALE $27.14

ProDHA 1000
Nordic Naturals
VProDHA
Reg $26.10
SALE $20.88

Women’s Formula Probiotic
Klaire Labs
VWoForm
Reg $29.75
SALE $23.80

PediaNutrients
Pure Encapsulations
VPedNut
Reg $11.73
SALE $9.38

UltraPreventive Kids (Grape or Orange) Chewable
Douglas Labs
VultPreGra/VUltPreOrg
Reg $16.58
SALE $13.26

Greens First
Ceautamed Worldwide LLC
VGreens1st
Reg $44.99
SALE $35.99

Ultra Greens
Biogenesis
VGreens (while supplies last)
Reg $35.70
SALE $28.56

Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby, Healthy Children: Why Our Children Are Getting Sicker and Why You Need to Be Concerned
by Anne Zauderer, DC

One of the fondest memories I have from my childhood is playing with the neighborhood kids. The fun, imaginative games that we would come up with only ended when the streetlight came on and it was too dark outside to see where we were going. We would end the day covered in sweat and dirt, hungry to eat back all of the calories we had burned running, climbing, and conjuring up new worlds in our imagination. Gone are those days. Children today spend more and more time inside in front of the television, on their iPhones, or playing video games than ever before. If you add up the total amount of screen time children get, the average child by the age of 7 will have spent an entire year in front of an electronic screen of some sort. Children are eating more fast food and processed food, getting less exercise, and pumped full of more prescription medications than ever before in history. And yet we ‘don’t understand’
why they are getting more and more sick.

There are many factors that play into the health and well-being of our children. In my opinion, we are looking at each component of children’s health and trying to postulate outcomes without looking at the bigger picture. So with this article, we are going to address some of the trends that are possibly leading to the decline of our children’s health and what we can do to reverse them.

PRE-CONCEPTION HEALTH AND PREGNANCY

There was an article written by Time magazine in 2010 entitled “How the First Nine Months Shape the Rest of Your Life” (Google it…it’s a great read!). The article addresses a fascinating area of research: fetal origins. This area of study looks at the health of the mother prior to conceiving and during pregnancy and how this affects fetal development. Everything from the mother’s health, nutrition, weight, toxin exposure, stress level, and state of mind has been shown to affect the developing baby.

Babies born to mothers who went through a period of starvation or excessive stress during their pregnancy had a higher chance of developing schizophrenia as an polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, a pollutant in the air that is a product of vehicle exhaust, had infants with a 40% risk of subtle DNA damage from the PAHs, which has been linked to an increase risk for cancer.

A developing baby has yet to experience anything outside of the womb. He is completely dependent on his mother to provide the building blocks for growth and development as well as to communicate what life in the “outside world” is like. A mother who is stressed and/or anxious is releasing stress hormones, which cross the placental barrier and communicate to the baby and his developing brain that he is about to encounter a stressful situation. This primes his brain and body to encounter a world where he needs to be anxious and on-guard as well. This could partly explain why colic and reflux are on the rise in infants and why one of the fastest growing populations using prescription anti-depressants is children under the age of 18.

Solution: Mothers need to prepare their bodies and lifestyles for pregnancy long before they start trying to conceive. Proper dietary habits, rest, exercise, nutritional supplementation and emotional health are all crucial aspects of a healthy pregnancy. This isn’t meant to put more pressure on women (we already put enough pressure on ourselves!) but rather as encouragement to learn more about the process so that they can make informed decisions throughout pregnancy.

Mothers can have their nutrient levels tested (we have several lab panels here at the Riordan Clinic for women before trying to conceive) to make sure they have adequate nutrient reserves to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Stress levels can be reduced through proper rest, reduced workload, meditation, chiropractic care and massage.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

The first five years of a child’s life are some of the most important, developmentally, that they experience throughout their lifetime. Children develop 90% of the connections between the two hemispheres of their brain by the age of five! So before they’ve even started school, their brain is mostly developed.

One of the best windows into brain development in children is tracking their developmental milestones. Most pediatricians will say that as long as they hit the milestones, then children are developing normally. Not so. It’s not so important when they hit their milestones, but more so the order and timing in which they hit them. Each new skill that an infant develops is an indicator of connections being made within the brain. 85% of our genetic code is devoted to how the brain makes connections….it is THAT important!! If a child skips crawling or does not crawl properly, that is an indication that important “cross crawl” connections were never made. This shows up down the road in children as hyperactivity and learning disabilities.

Solution: Track your child’s development closely (but again, don’t stress about it!). Some children might need extra help and encouragement during the developmental period. Get down on the ground with your infant and crawl. They will observe and mimic your actions. Give them toys that are developmentally appropriate and show them how to play with them.

Keep your children out of all of the “contraptions” that exist for infants. All of the Bumbo seats, exersaucers, and jumpers put children in positions for which they are not developmentally equipped. If a child does not have the core strength to sit up on his own, he should not be in a Bumbo seat. If a child cannot stand on his own, he should not be in an exersaucer. (My opinion, a child should never be in the jumpers … it is putting WAY too much stress on their lower back and could lead to back problems down the road). For the first 6 months of life, a child should either be held in your arms, in a sling, or lying on the ground with something to play with. One of my favorite toys for infants is the “jungle gym,” which is a mat that the baby can lay on with toys dangling down. Let your child explore the world on his own terms.

Get your child adjusted by a chiropractor! The connections within the brain that help a child learn and develop are made based on feedback information coming from the nervous system and the body. Chiropractic care for children ensures that accurate information is communicated. This is one of the best times to make sure a child’s nervous system is functioning properly!

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE FOR CHILDREN

Of course this one seems like a no-brainer. Kids should eat healthy foods and get proper amounts of exercise…but HOW?

Kids are very intuitive when it comes to food. They have been genetically programmed to gravitate toward sweets and fats. The food industry knows this and has gotten very good at chemically manipulating food to make it more appealing to our senses. They slip high fructose corn syrup and processed oils into everything from infant formula to breads and cereals to yogurt. 16% of the average child’s diet comes from sugar. This equates to around 450 calories per day from sugar alone. A great book to read is, “Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease” by Dr. Robert Lustig. He will change the way you view your sugar intake habits!

Approximately 12.5 million children are obese (17% of the population). That is an extremely alarming statistic. There are many variables that contribute to it (including a 36% obesity rate for adults). Lack of exercise is not the only cause, but it is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic in children. Why aren’t kids exercising? The newest research is showing that kids do not know how to play. This seems like a funny idea because “play” should be intuitive for children. However, kids spend so much time in front of a screen (the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates around 7 hours and 38 minutes per day) that they are losing the ability and drive to develop imaginative play. The less they play, the less they are getting exercise. The CDC reports that only 1 in 5 children live within walking distance of a park. Kids are spending increasingly more amounts of time indoors and less outside playing.

Solution: Exercise and dietary habits start very early in children. Here are a few tips:
• Moms should make every attempt to breastfeed, which will give your child nutritional and immunological advances from an early age.
• When introducing foods, avoid any processed snacks and processed grains, which usually contain added preservatives, sugar and unhealthy fats. I know how easy it is to give kids a bowl of cheerios to munch on, but resist the urge as much as possible. Instead, substitute for fresh or dried vegetables and fruits (with no added sugar).
• Eat dinner as a family without any distractions. This will encourage a home-cooked meal instead of on-the-go-fast food.
• Your child will take cues from you and your dietary habits, so be a good role model!
• If you want your child to like vegetables, add a little bit of healthy oil (coconut or olive oil) after you have cooked the vegetable and a pinch of sea salt. This will train your child’s taste buds to enjoy vegetables and give them healthy oils, which are great for his developing brain!
• A great book to read is “Feeding the Whole Family” by Cynthia Lair. She gives recipe ideas that are easy and use all whole food ingredients. She breaks down each recipe and gives ideas on what components of the recipe to give your children at each age and stage of development.
• It’s hard to get all of the nutrients kids need from their diet alone. Supplement with a multi-vitamin for kids and/or add a greens food powder to their juice. (I recommend GreensFirst brand because it tastes the best).
• Turn off the TV and phone and play with your children. Help them come up with games they can play on their own.
• Make exercise fun for kids. Take them to the park and make a special day out of it by packing a picnic or a healthy treat.
• Again, be a good role model. The more children grow up with parents who make exercise a priority, the more they will adopt those habits in their own life.
• Find unique ways to incorporate exercise. If you are going out to dinner, walk to the restaurant. Those extra few miles are a fun time to have a good conversation with your kids while getting some aerobic exercise.

CONCLUSION

The trends in children’s health are declining rapidly. More kids than ever before are being diagnosed with asthma, allergies, diabetes, ADD/ADHD, autism, depression, obesity…and the list goes on and on. Our children’s health is in a state of crisis and our current healthcare model has not been able to reverse those trends. It’s time for us as parents, future parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends to start taking action! Let’s start thinking outside the box of societal norms to come up with solutions.

In my opinion, the best way to address these concerns can be summed up in one word: simplify. Kids do not need a lot to be happy and content. They want your love, affection, and attention. Remove from your life all of the gadgets, toys, and activities that aren’t necessary. Spend time with your kids, teach them, encourage them, cook for them, and adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors of your own to model. That is the best gift of health you can give!

Your investment toward one of the areas listed below will enable the Riordan Clinic to continue its reputation as a leader in nutritional medicine. A contribution ensures that co-learners continue to receive help, hope and healing.

Comfortable furnishings for patient waiting areas—$5,000
Co-learners will have a warm and soothing environment as they wait for appointments and treatments.

Conversion of Clinic published books to e-Books—$2,000 ($200 each)

Medical Journal subscription renewals—$100–$700 each

Landscaping—all donations are appreciated
The Clinic is known for its beautiful campus and the tranquility that patients value. Mulch, equipment, seasonal flowers, etc. will maintain a campus as unique as the services provided.

Make your tax deductible donation online or by mail to Riordan Clinic, 3100 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.

If you have questions, contact Paula Smith at 316-682-3100 or psmith@riordanclinic.org.

Thank you to those who recently invested in the vision:

Stan & Sharon Churchill
Melodee & Martin Eby
O.S. Gossard
Sonia Greteman & Chris Brunner
Scott & Carol Ritchie
Jim & Sandra Tangeman
Ralph & Helenruth Welsby
Steven & Becky Wright (in memory of Bob and Betty Marietta)